No Longer The Hunted
by SvenTheRogueKnight
Summary: Takes place in year 4 (GoF). With the Tri-Wizard Tournament on the horizon, Harry, as advised by Sirius, adopts a more cautious approach to the remainder of the school year. Who can he trust? And who must he not? Exhausted, restless, and anxious, Harry must survive the tournament, and uncover a dark plot that has been set in motion to capture him. Harry/Hermione slowburn, AU
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** **Hello there! I'm new to the HP fanfiction community, and I've been inspired by some stories on this site to actually start writing some HP fanfic of my own! I'm not the most knowledgeable HP fan in the world, as I haven't read any of the books (but I have watched all of the movies), so please bear with me if I manage to overlook details that were clarified in the books. Also, I've always thought that Harry and Hermione would be paired off together since the first movie, but as we all know that's not what happens in canon (sadly). Nonetheless it's already 2019 and I'm glad to say that I still ship the two of them hehe.**

**Regarding stories in general on this site, I've noticed that a lot of Harry/Hermione fics include a LOT of bashing (that might even be an understatement). Whether it be the Weasleys, Dumbledore, or someone else, someone always gets either completely shredded apart or is suddenly painted as an evil/mean person. While this is understandable and there are a lot of excellent works that do that, that won't be the case here. For this story, I'll try as much as possible to focus on how Harry and Hermione will develop a relationship without 'bringing someone else down' so to speak. That means there'll be minimal bashing (if any) to characters such as Dumbledore and the Weasleys, because I really think they're not bad people. Dumbledore is questionable on several occasions, but I don't think he's evil.**

**Regarding this particular story, we will begin year 4 (Goblet of Fire). For me personally, year 4 is the easiest year to write about in general. So many things happen like the Quidditch World Cup, the Tri-Wizard Tournament, the Yule Ball, and others that an author may use to construct a diverging plot from canon. Since this is a Harmony fic, I was thinking if I should use year 4, year 6 or year 7, since years 6 and 7 have a lot of opportunities for Harmony as well. But in the end, I used year 4 because I feel like it's really the year that forced Harry to mature a bit more given his experiences and how people hated him that year (at least at first).**

**Lastly, while this is a Harry/Hermione fic, I just want to note that I'm particularly fond of writing slowburn romances. I like building up things first before going to the climax when it comes to relationships, because I just feel like it's easier for people to buy into those kinds of relationships that build over time. Also, this will be a sort of dark fic, and this will be my first time ever writing one, so if it's not great, please bear with me.**

**Without further ado, on to the story!**

* * *

"Sirius? But how…" Harry trailed as he stared at the common room fireplace in disbelief. The blazing pieces of wood were arranged to form a vague, but recognizable visage of his godfather.

"I'm afraid I don't have much time, Harry. Did you or did you not put your name into the Goblet of Fire?" Sirius asked in a hushed tone.

"No!" Harry answered defensively, earning an abrupt 'shush' from his godfather. The young Potter quickly looked around to see if anyone heard him as he mumbled an apology.

"I'm sorry, I had to ask" Sirius clarified "Now, tell me about this dream of yours. You mentioned Wormtail and Voldemort, but who was the third man in the room?"

Harry settled into a more comfortable kneel before answering "I dunno, I didn't recognize him" the boy answered worriedly.

"You didn't hear a name, or anything or sorts?"

"No, not really. At least, I don't recall. I only heard that Voldemort wanted…" Harry gulped, worrying his godfather even more "…me. I don't know how, or why, but he was going to use this man to get to me"

A pregnant pause passed before Harry continued "I mean, it's only a dream, right?"

"It's certainly possible. But I can't help but worry; you said in your letter that you dreamt of this exact scenario several times, correct?" his godson nodded "That more than alarms me, Harry. As much as I hope this 'dream' of yours is simply a dream, I doubt that's all there is to it. With all that's been happening lately, I'd be surprised if things were _that_ simple"

Harry wore a puzzled expression on his face "What do you mean?"

Sirius made a sound that resembled a sigh "I mean, given all the events that have transpired so far—the World Cup, your vivid dream, your name appearing in the Goblet—I'm more and more inclined to think that Hogwarts is no longer a safe place for you"

Anxiety began to brew in the pit of Harry's stomach as his godfather continued "The enemy may already be within the castle walls. Igor Karkaroff—he was a death eater during the First Wizarding War. No one stops being a death eater. No one. Then there's Barty Crouch, who sent his own son to Azkaban"

Harry began to tremble in fear, worry, anxiety, and everything in between. "Do you think one of them put my name in the Goblet?" the boy stammered.

"I don't know who put your name in that Goblet, but whoever did is no friend to you. People _die_ in this tournament!" Sirius grimly answered.

His godson shook his head frantically. Harry's fear was palpable, making Sirius wish that he were by his side at the moment. "I'm not ready for this, Sirius" Harry croaked out.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice" Sirius sadly answered.

A few moments of silence passed. Harry tried to calm himself, while Sirius carefully thought about what he was going to say next.

"Harry, listen to me," Sirius started, recapturing the attention of his godson "We don't know what exactly Voldemort is up to, but what we do know is that he and his followers are not being idle. With every day that passes, their schemes move closer to completion. If I may, have you told anyone else about your dream?"

Harry shook his head "Not in detail, no"

"Very well. Keep it that way for now. Knowing Dumbledore, it's most likely that he has decided to let all these events unfold on their own to further discover the true meaning behind them. While he means well, this puts you at risk, Harry. Make no mistake; Dumbledore will protect you when the need arises, but even he is not omniscient. There are things that he does not know of. And I'm certain that he _wants_ you to compete in the tournament because of this, because he wants to learn of the truth"

"I understand that, Sirius, but the person who put my name in the Goblet wants me to compete too, and for an entirely different reason" Harry responded shakily.

"I know, Harry. But we have no choice at the moment, you must push forward. We need to know what lies ahead of us before we can plan accordingly" Sirius said with a hint of guilt. He hated the situation, as he only wanted to see his godson safe. But he knew there was nothing he could do for now. "How have you been with your friends this year?" Sirius decided to try and change the conversation. He didn't want to end his conversation with Harry on such a negative note.

Harry laughed humorlessly "Well, everyone hates me. Since my name appeared on the Goblet, everyone thinks that 'the Boy-Who-Lived' is just trying hard to accumulate more fame and attention. Even people from Gryffindor glare at me and say things behind my back nowadays"

Sirius was stunned. "I…I'm sorry to hear that" The animagus paused for a brief moment "Then it seems we're in a more precarious situation than I originally thought. This benefits whoever put your name in the Goblet. With you isolated, you're an even more vulnerable target than you already are. Which is why I _implore_ you, Harry, be vigilant. Be very careful of who you trust, now more than _ever_. We may never know what those around us are truly planning. Even the 'kindest' of people may be evil. Take Wormtail for example" Harry's blood boiled at the mention of the traitor who got his parents killed, but nonetheless nodded.

"I'll be alright" the Gryffindor Champion replied, willing himself to believe his own words.

"I will be on the look out for any sort of information I may find. I'll send Hedwig back as soon as possible" Sirius continued.

"Thanks, Sirius"

"No need to thank me. My time's almost up however, so I must take my leave. Be strong, Harry. Let's talk again soon" The pieces of wood that were arranged to form a rough outline of Sirius' face began to lose their glow, and eventually the flames of the fireplace became considerably weaker.

Harry took several deep breaths to calm himself from the rush of mostly negative emotions he experienced during his talk with his godfather. The boy eventually steeled himself enough to walk back upstairs to his dormitory.

When he laid back down on his bed, he felt the emotional exhaustion of his talk with Sirius hit him full force. In a way, he was glad. He might be able to actually sleep tonight.

Unfortunately, his nightmares had other plans.

* * *

Days later, Harry found himself sitting on the root of a tree near one of the lakes around the castle. It was a rather nice afternoon; the skies were gray and the breeze was cool. It looked like it was about to rain but it didn't. The weather was actually one of Harry's personal favorites.

It was a shame he couldn't bring himself to enjoy it.

The past few days have been the same; he's had to endure (aside from his almost nightly nightmares) glares, catcalls, insults, and harsh jokes wherever he went. It didn't matter if he was in the Great Hall, the Owlery, or even the Gryffindor Common Room. People were either whispering about him or openly ridiculing him wherever he passed. To step things up a notch, people even started wearing a certain patch to mock him. The said patch contained two faces—the first had an image of Cedric's face on it, along with the words 'Cedric Diggory—TRUE Hogwarts Champion', while the second had an image of his face with the words 'POTTER STINKS' all over it.

Frankly, the insults and taunts didn't bother Harry at all. He was quite used to being verbally abused by the Dursleys, so he was fine. What he _was_ bothered about was the distrust of his friends towards him, particularly of one Ronald Weasley.

His best friend (was he still?) still refuses to even look at him, even when they were in the boys' dormitory. As much as Harry hated to admit it, Ron borderline hating him for something he would never do hurt him. A lot. He thought his 'best friend' knew him better than that. Perhaps he was just being an overemotional, angsty teenager, but he felt betrayed. Ron, of all people, should know that he would NEVER want fame or attention from the public.

There were only really two people that weren't _hostile_ towards him these days. One was his other best friend, Hermione Granger. Hermione was really the only person who outright believed him when he said he didn't put his name in the Goblet. She was also the only one kind enough to check on him every now and then to make sure he was okay. The second person was the boy standing on a shallow part of the lake in front of him—Neville Longbottom. Harry wasn't as close with Neville as he was with Ron and Hermione, but he'd been around Neville enough to know that the timid Gryffindor was a good person.

Neville was talking to him about herbology related matters but he was barely paying attention. Since his talk with Sirius, Harry had been on edge. He'd been more reflective about everything going on around him than he's ever been. So much so that he was certain it was absurdly unhealthy for him to keep doing so, but he couldn't help it. It felt like the whole Wizarding world was against him.

Sadly, things were about to get a tad bit worse for the boy.

Harry snapped back to attention when he saw Neville wave an arm. A murmur of voices then followed. Harry turned to see who the newcomers were and grimaced. There was Hermione, whom he was glad to see, but she was accompanied by Ron and Ginny. While Ginny wore a neutral expression on her face, Ron was already glaring at him as if he wanted to gouge his eyeballs out.

Harry stood to greet his 'friends'. He raised an eyebrow when Ron and Ginny stopped a considerable distance away from him so that it was only Hermione approaching him.

Hermione was obviously exasperated. She looked like she had just gotten out of a verbal spat with Ron (as usual) and desperately wanted to be elsewhere. Harry realized that she must've been dragged along against her will by Ron for some reason.

His female best friend exhaled in an attempt to quell her irritation before she spoke "Ron would like me to tell you that Seamus told him…" Hermione grimaced, trying to remember what she was supposed to say "…that Dean was told by Parvati that Hagrid's looking for you"

Harry wore a confused expression "Well…what?"

"Err," Hermione squirmed in discomfort. She was clearly having a hard time relaying her message. She shook her head and tried again "Parvati was…wait, no. Ron told me that Seamus…told him that…" Hermione closed her eyes and sighed "Please don't ask me to say it again. Hagrid's looking for you" she pleaded reticently before turning her back to him and walking away.

"Well you tell Ron—" Harry began.

"I'm not an owl!" Hermione spat out as she turned around and glared at him.

Harry felt his heart sink. He closed his mouth and watched silently as his two best friends and Ginny walk away from him. He knew she was probably just irritated from something, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt.

In fact, the pain was almost unbearable.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading guys! I apologize if there isn't enough Harry/Hermione off the bat. I wanted to set the stage first and sort of expound on what Harry's current state of well-being is. You guys may expect more of Sirius, as I always felt like he was underused in the movies. He will play a pivotal role in this story and will serve as Harry's sort of adviser. I personally don't think it's too far from reality that Sirius would advice Harry to not be so trusting of people at this point in the story because of all the weird things that have been happening. Let me know what you guys think so far! All comments, even flames, are very much appreciated! Until the next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you for the overwhelmingly positive feedback for the first chapter! I must say, I am pleasantly surprised by this, as I've never had as many favorites and follows in a single chapter up to this point. So thank you so much to everyone!**

**To be honest, I'm not very pleased with how this chapter turned out, so please forgive me if it isn't as nice as the previous chapter. This is quite a roller coaster of a chapter, as you will all see, because a lot of it focuses on Harry's emotions as the First Task approaches. However, if there is one thing I'm pleased with in this chapter, is the amount of Harry/Hermione in it. Now please do note, this story is meant to have a ****slowburn romance****, so while Harry and Hermione will get a lot of time with each other, there will be very little (if any) 'romantic' interaction between them in the early and middle part of the story. I do understand that they both have a tendency for physical contact in canon (e.g. hugging, holding hands), but they do it platonically. This means that when Harry/Hermione hug or hold each other's hand, there won't be any blushing or butterflies in the stomach for either of them…for now.**

**In any case, this chapter was really meant to showcase what kind of friend Hermione is to Harry, since we all know that everyone pretty much hated him prior to the First Task. Hermione being Harry's closest confidant will be the main theme of their relationship (both friendly and romantic) for this story.**

**Anyways, I think I've babbled enough. On to review responses!**

**Review Responses:**

**aidansidhe: Thank you for your time! In response to your question, no, that will not be the case. Krum ****will NOT ****be with Hermione in this fic. Another reader (user ThehardcoreHarmony) actually sent me a PM regarding this, and my response was that Krum and Hermione won't attend the Yule Ball together. Instead, Harry and Hermione would be each other's dates for that event, but it won't be overly romantic. That will however, serve as a foundation for their eventual romantic relationship. I hope you stay tuned for the rest of this story**

**Guest: Thank you for your time! I'm happy you think so! I hope you stay tuned for the rest of this story**

**PairingMatters: Thank you for your time! Yes, the first chapter was really meant to follow the film. As I mentioned, I have not read any of the books, but I've watched all of the films. So my canon knowledge is only limited to that of the films. As for the first task, you'll just have to stay tuned hehe. I hope you keep reading as I update this story**

**Now, on to the story!**

* * *

Harry sat on the carpeted floor in front of the common room fireplace. The first task was two days away. Professor Moody had been gracious enough to assist him in devising a strategy on how to deal with his dragon. It wasn't the most detailed of plans, but given what Harry could come up with, it was certainly something he could already work with.

The boy sighed in worry. Okay, maybe flying around wasn't the best idea, but it was all he could really do in a vaguely skillful manner. He was nowhere near as knowledgeable with spells and charms as his competitors, and he wasn't exactly the most creative person in the world either.

'_At least I'll finally be able to use my Firebolt for a good reason' _Harry thought to himself dryly.

"Harry?" a soft, feminine voice gently called.

Harry snapped out of his thoughts and looked up to the source of the said voice. There stood Hermione, dressed in her pajamas. From the looks of it, she hadn't slept at all either. Her hair wasn't nearly tangled enough, indicating that she was unable to catch even forty winks.

"Hi" Harry quietly replied with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

His best friend shot him a smile of her own "Do you mind if I join you?" she asked hesitantly as she gestured to the space on the floor beside him.

In all honesty, Harry wanted to be left alone at the moment. But this was his best friend who he trusted, so he shook his head and scooted over "Not at all"

Hermione then sat down beside her best friend. She hugged her legs to her chest and stole a glance at the boy beside her. He was just staring at the fire in front of them, a distant look painted on his face—a look that she recognized too well. It was the look he had whenever he would be thinking of things he'd rather not talk about.

The bushy-haired witch sighed to herself. She couldn't help but feel a tad bit awkward. And she _hated_ feeling awkward around Harry. It was just not supposed to happen—he's her best friend. He would always listen to her rants, comfort her when she's feeling down, and defend her when anyone would insult her. And she'd do the same for him, because best friends look out for each other.

'_But no, I just had to snap at him_' Hermione thought, guilt and frustration filling her senses. Normally, she'd just get on with it and patch things up with him. It wasn't like this was the first time they've ever had a mishap in their four years of close friendship. But the problem was, this particular mishap couldn't have happened at a worse time.

Hermione knew that she was really the only person that Harry was comfortably around (aside from Neville, perhaps) these days. She was one of the two people who didn't unload him with insults and taunts wherever he went, and was the _only_ person who explicitly expressed her faith and support in him after being named a Tri-Wizard Champion. Which was why guilt ate her up when she realized that she had made it seem like even _she _turned her back on him.

The brunette witch bit her lip. She was well aware that Harry liked to tackle issues and problems head-on, as opposed to beating around the bush. She was very similar to him in that regard, except she preferred to think more before acting whereas he relies more on his intuition. But this particular situation was rather different for her. She didn't want to mess up any more than she has.

She inwardly shook her head. It would do no good if she kept circling around her thoughts. She had to do, or rather say, something.

Hermione summoned all the Gryffindor courage she could muster as she hesitantly reached out to rest a palm on her best friend's knee. "Harry," she began, causing Harry to shift her gaze to meet her own "I'm sorry for snapping at you yesterday. I was just really…out it…for some reason. The other night, I was exhausted from finishing school work, and I didn't exactly get a good night's rest afterwards. When I woke up, I tried to eat hoping it would make me feel more energized. But before I could even go downstairs, Ron dragged me outside the castle to find you because he wanted me to tell you something. I kept telling him to sod off, but he wouldn't leave me alone. And when we found you and I had to relay his message I just couldn't pay attention enough to understand what he wanted me to say to you. But I just went with it so I could get on with my day in peace. Then when you couldn't understand me I just…lost it" Hermione's words were heavily laced with guilt and regret. It wasn't the most comfortable feeling in the world, but she believed Harry deserved an explanation. She squeezed his knee as she continued "I'm sorry, Harry. Things haven't been pleasant for you lately, and I feel like I let you down. I told you that I'd be there for you, but I made a mistake. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that"

The brunette hung her head and sighed. She could only hope that he'd forgive her.

"I know you didn't mean it, Hermione. It's alright" Harry's reply caused Hermione's gaze to snap back up to him.

"You…knew?" she asked, puzzled.

He nodded "I'm not going to lie and say it didn't hurt" Hermione flinched at his words, but nonetheless appreciated his honesty "But the look on your face told me that you most likely had just finished a little 'exchange' with Ron. And it's no surprise that it reflected on your mood as well"

"Oh. Well, Ron _was_ being a rather persistent git at the wrong time" she remarked dryly "but still, Harry, I shouldn't have done what I did" she repeated.

Harry shook his head and shot her a genuine smile "It happens, Hemione. It's fine, really. Just please, do me a favor and remind me to not piss you off whenever you feel sluggish" he teased.

This earned a laugh from Hermione. And just like that, the awkwardness that blanketed them completely dissipated. Hermione returned his smile with one of her own before both teens turned to watch the fire in front of them.

Another moment of silence passed, but this time, it was a comfortable one. The two found the warmth of the fireplace cozy, which enabled the both of them to ease up.

"So, what were you thinking about?" Hermione broke the silence, but she kept her eyes on the fire.

Harry turned to her and raised an eyebrow "What makes you think that I was thinking about anything in particular?"

Hermione rolled her eyes "I'm your best friend, Harry"

Harry paused before answering "The first task"

"Oh" was all Hermione could say in response. That wasn't surprising at all, considering what the first task would require him to do. The young witch didn't know exactly what to say, so she settled for slipping her hand into his. She squeezed his hand, asking permission if he didn't mind having his hand held. He squeezed back in return, indicating that it was fine.

"Professor Moody helped me form a plan on how to go about it. But coming up with a plan is one thing, executing it is another. Besides, you would know that I'm not the most detailed planner around"

Hermione smiled "I assume that's the reason why you didn't show up for lunch today?" Harry nodded "What did you come up with then?"

"I'll try to outrun or out-maneuver the dragon. Long enough for me to accomplish whatever objective it is that they give us"

"I'm certain that's not the _safest_ plan to stick with, but I suppose it's too late to try and learn an advanced spell that might help you" Hermione made no effort to hide the worry in her tone.

"I'm starting to understand why witches and wizards under age seventeen weren't allowed to participate"

She stole another glance at him. In the past, she found it difficult to read Harry in times such as this. The boy was simply too used to not showing his emotions to anyone. But as she had grown to know him, she began to develop a better idea of what was possibly going through his head in certain situations.

"You'll be okay, Harry" she declared softly, repeating her words to him three years ago before he had gone off to face Professor Quirrell. "You're a great wizard"

Another smile tugged at the corner of his lips "Thanks, Hermione" A moment passed before Harry continued "How about you? How have you been? Anything in particular preventing you from sleeping well?"

Hermione understood that Harry was basically saying that he didn't want to keep talking about the tournament any further. She gladly followed along "Well, I wanted to talk to you, but I didn't expect to still find you awake at this hour. Other than that, nothing noteworthy in particular. It's probably because I kept working on my Transfiguration essay earlier, and now my head's having a hard time calming down"

Harry chuckled "Only _you_ would have trouble falling asleep because your brain is too academically active" she playfully swatted his shoulder at his remark, but nonetheless smiled at him.

The pair continued to talk about other mundane subjects, steering clear from broaching the topic of the looming First Tri-Wizard Task. Some time into their talk, Harry noticed that Hermione was becoming sleepier by the minute, as given away by her fluttering eyelids.

"You should go get some sleep, Hermione. I'm sure you've calmed down enough for a good night's rest by now" Harry suggested.

She pretended to roll her eyes at him "Look who's talking. If anyone should sleep, it's you. You're the one who's busy after all"

Harry shook his head "I'll go to bed in a little while. You go on ahead"

Hermione didn't really want to argue, given how they had just 'made up' and how sleepy she was. She simply nodded and stood from her spot. "Alright. Good night, Harry. I'll see you later"

Harry gave her a small smile "Good night"

As she went up the stairs, Harry stared off into the fire as he had been doing the entire night.

He lied.

He took more than _a little while_ before he went back to his dormitory.

* * *

It was almost noon when Harry got out of bed the following day. It wasn't because he slept in, although Merlin knows how delightful that would've been for the poor boy (he only slept for a little over three overs). It was because he had nothing better to do. Since the first task was tomorrow, all champions were exempt from all school-related activities to ensure that they would be focused more on the tournament for the time being.

After taking a shower, Harry went down to the Great Hall to have his first meal of the day. Thankfully, classes were still on going for about another hour before lunch break, so there weren't really a lot of people around at the moment. Nonetheless, lunch was already served as usual.

He piled food on his plate and sat down on his usual spot on the Gryffindor table. No one was really around except for a bunch of upperclassmen that he vaguely recognized. He ate in silence, a part of him wishing that every lunch break would be like this—not much noise, not much insults, and not much chatter around him.

He finished his meal around ten minutes before students should start filing in the Great Hall. Not having anything specific in mind to do, he opted to walk around the castle for a short while to relax himself.

His feet dragged him along the various hallways of the castle. As he passed the sixth-floor corridors, he suddenly had the urge to use the loo. He entered the boys' bathroom and chose an empty cubicle to take care of business.

It was when he was rezipping his trousers that he noticed a particular object which piqued his curiosity. On the edge of the cubicle was what appeared to be a small bottle made of glass. With his forehead creased, Harry reached down and grabbed the said bottle. He inspected the small container, questions swirling in his head. The bathrooms were usually inspected multiple times every day so it's rare that any sort of object or possession gets misplaced and not be collected by Filch. Perhaps it was a container for some sort of cleansing potion? Unlikely. Cleansing potions weren't necessary in Hogwarts, since the brooms, mops and other cleaning instruments were charmed to automatically perform their tasks.

Unable to tame his curiosity, Harry twisted the bottle cap open and brought the tip of the bottle close to his nose.

He almost wanted to throw up his lunch once the scent greeted his nostrils.

The boy gagged and quickly resealed the bottle. The smell was _bloody nasty_, but also quite familiar. He couldn't pinpoint just exactly what smell it resembled, but this was definitely _not_ the first time he had ever encountered this substance. Whatever this substance was, it would have to wait. The boy had other things to attend to, after all.

Harry pocketed the bottle and went on about his day.

For some reason, Sirius' warnings echoed at the back of his head for the rest of the day.

* * *

The day of the first task had arrived. When Harry woke up in the morning, he ironically felt better than he had in weeks. This was most likely because he slept for over twice as long as he usually has been able to lately. More importantly, he didn't have any nightmares the previous night. Perhaps the emotional, physical and mental exhaustion of the past weeks have finally caught up to him. And he could not be more thankful for it…had the circumstances been different.

He had spent the night in a tent designated for the four champions. They were required to sleep in the said tent the night before a given task to ensure that everyone would be punctual for the start of the task.

As he quietly ate breakfast with his fellow champions, he took the time to mull over his supposed strategy for the task. He made sure his Firebolt was well taken care of before he left for the champions' tent last night. He wasn't sure just how fast the dragon he's going to face would be. But he did know, based on what he'd seen from the Horntail a few days ago, that it would be one of the most powerful non-human foes he's ever going to have.

'_People DIE in this tournament!' _he suddenly remembered Sirius' comment.

The boy almost puked everything he'd just eaten back down on his plate. Harry couldn't help it. Of course, he was scared out of his wits. He was _bloody _fourteen years old, and he was being forced by who _bloody_ knows who to compete for his life. He'd tried, to the best of his abilities, to conceal his fear regarding the tournament. But now that it was almost here, he just couldn't steady himself.

And it was apparent he wasn't the only one. Had Harry glanced around at his fellow champions, he would see that they looked as shaken as he was. Fleur's hands were shaking so much that she could barely raise her fork to her mouth whenever she'd take a bite. Viktor was eating a little _too much _and _too quickly _for a human being. And Cedric was gulping too frequently that it was a shock that he hadn't swallowed his Adam's Apple yet.

Harry felt his appetite go down the drain as he became increasingly anxious. However, he knew that he had to eat at least a full meal to keep his energy levels up for the First Task. He reluctantly forced himself to finish his plate, mentally reminding himself that it was for his own good in the end as he did so.

After breakfast, Harry went ahead and changed into his attire for the task. He saw no point in trying to shower, as he was sure he'd end up smelling like ash and dragon's breath afterwards anyways. Once he was dressed, he sat on his bed and awaited the official start of the tournament.

While the hours ticked away, Harry began to lose himself into…well, a lot of things. He felt what seemed like a myriad of different emotions in the span of…well, a few hours. At first he was nervous, his mind unable to grasp the fact that Professor Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magic were really going to let him compete in this Merlin-forsaken tournament. It wasn't like two years ago when he entered the Chamber of Secrets and was forced to fend off a basilisk, since this time around there were people in power who _could_ actually protect him from danger. Then, his nervousness turned into fear, his hands began trembling lightly as he imagined facing the dragon that awaited him. Then eventually, his fear turned into terror, as his entire body openly shook, his consciousness being crippled by the thought of his death.

The boy tried as much as he could to steel his resolve. But he simply couldn't.

This was too much.

All of this was too much.

He never asked for any of this.

To hell with the fame.

To hell with 'eternal glory'.

To hell with _all _of this.

He just wanted to be a normal teenage wizard.

He just wanted…_home. _A place where he felt safe. A place where no one called him 'liar' or 'traitor'. A place where no one expected outrageous things out of him.

A place where he didn't need to fight to prove his own worth.

He was shaken out of his stupor when he felt droplets of liquid hitting his lap. It was then he noticed that tears managed to escape his eyes and were now cascading down his cheeks. The boy quickly wiped his tears away, not wishing to be seen by anyone at such a state. Fortunately for him, his fellow champions were too preoccupied amongst themselves to notice him.

After drying his cheeks, Harry stood from his bed and began pacing around to tent in an attempt to get a better hold of his thoughts and emotions. Minutes into his pacing, he heard a hushed voice call out to him from one of the tent's entrances.

"Psst, Harry!" the voice called out.

Harry confusedly approached the particular entrance that the voice seemingly came from, inwardly thankful for the distraction from the thoughts that threatened to swallow him up. He looked around him to see if anyone else heard, before stepping outside the tent to see who called him out.

To his surprise, there stood Hermione, dressed in winter clothes. He watched her eye him up carefully.

"Hey" Hermione greeted with a small smile.

"Hi" Harry replied shakily, unable to return her smile.

This caused Hermione to frown. "How are you feeling?" she asked him hesitantly.

"F-f-fine" Harry croaked out, unable to conceal his emotional fatigue as tears began to form in the corner of his eyes again.

Without warning, Hermione walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She cradled his head to her shoulder, hoping to offer any sort of comfort that she possibly could to her best friend. Hermione felt the boy in her arms tremble; he was trembling to a point where he couldn't even reciprocate her embrace. This pushed the brunette to the point of tears. She wished she could've spent time with him yesterday, but she was so caught up in her school work that when she went off to see him, he had already left the common room to stay in the champions' tent.

She just stood there and held him as tightly as she could, occasionally running a hand through his hair to try and calm him.

He was scared.

And she was scared for him too.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading! How did you guys find that chapter? To be honest, I always found it weird how Harry seemed to take the fact that he had to compete in the Tri-Wizard tournament so casually, at least in the films. Even if he'd done some remarkable things in his first three years in school, I'd like to think he was terrified prior to the tournament. I mean, the dangers he faced in years one to three were out of necessity, but the Tri-Wizard Tournament, not so much. There were people who could force him to not participate, but instead everyone just watched him basically fight for his own life, which I deem unnecessary. I think a fourteen-year old would be scared at that. Just my opinion though. Also, I'm not quite sure how you guys would find the scene where Harry found the bottle in the bathroom. This is a key event that will be crucial to the development of the story, although I wish I could've made it longer. But alas, I really don't know how to extend that scene purposefully.**

**Anyways if you guys enjoyed please do leave a review. It helps me get a better feel of what you guys think of the story. And you can also ask me questions by doing that, or sending me a private message. Feel free to ask anything, and I'll respond to you as soon as I can.**

**Thank you and see you in chapter 3!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Happy holidays everyone! Sorry for the delay on this chapter. I've been away on vacation for the last two weeks. I've only gotten around to finishing this chapter a few hours ago as a result. Thank you so much for the positive feedback, for everyone who has reviewed/faved/followed this story. It really keeps me going so please keep it up!**

**This is the first chapter that will contain OCs (original characters). These OCs are purposely meant to be vague at the moment (for the sake of suspense hehe), but I promise that everything will be made clear as the story progresses. Sorry to disappoint Harmony fans out there, but as I may have mentioned, this chapter will not really contain a whole lot of Harry/Hermione moments. They will slowly get more screen time together though, so please be patient and stay tuned.**

**Review Responses:**

**Son of Whitebeard: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! I'm glad that you find Harry being scared interesting! You'll get to see more of that in the future hehe. I hope you keep tuning in for the rest of the story!**

**Max Bronx: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! And also, thank you so much for the heart-warming words! I'm genuinely happy that I was able to make you day better, even just for a little bit. That really means the world to me! And hopefully I do continue to get more views hehe. I hope you keep tuning in for the rest of the story!**

**PairingMatters: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! To clarify, yes, I did mean to omit those scenes. I thought about including the one where Hagrid shows Harry the dragons, but in the end I decided it wasn't really too important given the direction I plan to steer this story towards. I hope you keep tuning in for the rest of the story!**

**Joeking18: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! You're very welcome! I hope you've enjoyed my work so far hehe. I also hope you keep tuning in for the remainder of the story!**

**Well, on to the chapter then!**

* * *

Harry shifted uncomfortably, his Golden Egg tucked in his right arm, as cheers and applause erupted around him. He had managed to not only survive the First Task, but also finish in first place alongside fellow Hogwarts Champion Cedric Diggory. This meant that he and Cedric were currently tied for overall tournament lead, much to the joy of his fellow Gryffindors. His housemates couldn't help but be proud of such an amazing display of courage and skill that he displayed during the task. So much so that as soon as he exited the arena, he was mobbed by a sea of red scarf clad students and was practically dragged towards the Gryffindor common room.

In under different circumstances, Harry would be flattered (and slightly embarrassed) at the display of admiration for him and his abilities. However, given everything that has transpired since his name appeared from the Goblet of Fire, he couldn't be any more uneasy at the suddenly positive attention he was getting from his peers. The people who were cheering his name were the same ones who openly insulted and taunted him at every turn up until a few hours ago. He couldn't help but blanch at the two-facedness of his supposed 'mates'. Harry didn't consider himself to be a spiteful person. Sure, he did have a temper at times, but he couldn't find it within himself to _hate _other people. Hate was too strong. _Weary_ was more appropriate…especially in this particular case.

The cheers eventually died down, and Harry was forced to endure the unadulterated stares of his peers. For a moment, they simply looked at him in 'awe' with bright smiles on their faces. Before he could do or say anything, he was saved from another potentially awkward situation by his fellow fourth year, Seamus Finnegan.

"Go on, Harry, what's the clue?" the Irish boy asked eagerly, turning everyone's attention to him.

In all honesty, Harry already knew what his response would be to Seamus' request before it was even asked. While he did want to know what the crucial clue to the Second Task was, he didn't want to reveal anything important to anyone he didn't trust. And there really was only one person he trusted enough at the moment.

He gave Seamus a small, apologetic smile "Sorry, mate, but I'm really exhausted. I'll turn in for the night. I'll figure out the clue some other time" Harry glanced around the room, addressing everyone with his next set of words "Don't let my absence kill the mood though. You guys go on and celebrate. This was a great win for us" Harry inwardly cringed at his little speech. He wasn't the best with words, but he'd rather say something instead of allowing other people to speculate about his whereabouts.

He shot everyone another curt smile before heading up the stairs to his dormitory, not giving anyone the opportunity to say anything back to him.

Upon entering the boys' dormitory, Harry let out a sigh of surprised relief. He had never been gladder at seeing the place where his nightmares tormented him nightly. Prior to leaving for the Champions' Tent the previous day, a part of Harry wasn't sure if he was ever going to see the confines of his dormitory again. His godfather's warnings regarding the tournament were etched deeply into his mind. The knowledge that previous Triwizard Champions died during the event, combined with the fact that he was an underage contestant, made it clear that his chances of mere survival were lower than usual.

But somehow, someway, he survived and actually excelled. And it was all thanks to a rather _gutsy_ plan courtesy of Professor Moody.

He sat his egg down the nightstand beside his bed and went to the showers. With a grimace, he slowly stripped his clothes off, muttering a few curses under his breath as he stretched his sore joints. When he stepped into the warm stream of water, he silently groaned and swore to himself that he would never take warm showers for granted ever again. He felt the tension in his body slowly dissipate, his muscles rejoicing at the soothing warmth that the water offered.

He painfully proceeded to soaping and washing his body. He resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall in front of him whenever he had to soap, scrub, or rinse a spot on his body that he couldn't reach without his muscles throbbing in pain despite the warm water. Once he finished showering, he mentally noted that he had broken two personal shower-related records. The first was the number of times he had cursed (both mentally and verbally) while showering, because he was sure he cursed close to a hundred times in total. The second was the longest duration of a shower he had ever taken; his shower lasted a little over an hour, a far cry from his usual shower time of twenty minutes.

Thankfully for the boy, getting dressed was nowhere near as painful and annoying as showering. He put on his sleepwear and crawled under the covers of his bed. He found himself just staring into the ceiling, not bothered by the faint noises of celebration his housemates were making.

In just several hours, he was able to completely turn his life around…or so it seemed. He went from being the hated, arrogant, and fame-seeking boy who somehow entered a tournament he was too young for, to being Gryffindor's Proud Champion. He went from being the scared, anxious fourteen-year-old, to being the boy who conquered a powerful dragon. Things were different now…and yet they stayed the same. The 'glory' he earned from passing the First Task held no value to him whatsoever.

As his eyelids grew heavy, he couldn't help but feel as if this was only just the beginning.

* * *

A young man pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed in exasperation. Three male corpses laid on the ground before him—these were the last set that would've given them a reliable lead. But, just like the rest, the bodies no longer held the memories that would've given them sufficient information to solve this particular case they were working on. Despite his almost godlike proficiency at legilimency, the corpses held too few, and too unrelated memory fragments for him to make sense of properly. Not only that, but as soon as he viewed the memories of the corpses, blood suddenly started pooling on the ground beneath them. It was then he realized that the corpses were protected by a strong concealing charm—one that would mask elements such as the smell, appearance, and marks (to name a few) of a dead body.

That would explain why to the naked eye, it would seem the three men lying on the ground were merely asleep. But he knew better.

He had been around death far too much to be deceived.

What did surprise him though, was the amount of gore the bodies had to endure. Why was this particular batch of corpses much bloodier than the others they'd found weeks ago? Why weren't they just killed by the Killing Curse? Why were the signs of bloody torture clear as day? And yet, why was there no sign of forced entry in the compound? It was rather uncharacteristic, even for the likes of the dead men before him.

He suddenly sensed another's presence by the doorway. He lazily turned his gaze behind him to acknowledge his companion, a young man, also dressed in a trench coat, slacks, and a fedora like he was.

"Anything?" he asked as his companion leaned against the doorway.

The latter shook his head "No. It's the same as the others. Only a lot bloodier"

"What's this? The Great Marcus Nagant wasn't able to put his _brilliant_ legilimency skills to good use, yet again?" he teased with a smirk.

Marcus rolled his eyes as he leaned further against the door frame. He crossed his arms "I could ask you the same, Sir Lux Valentine" he said dryly "I assume you had no luck as well?"

Lux's smirk turned into a frown as he nodded "Unfortunately so. I'm guessing the last two are in the other room, then?"

Marcus nodded this time "The remaining memory fragments the corpses held don't make sense at all. I can confirm, however, that the dead men were present during the attack. They cursed, tortured, and killed people, mostly muggles and muggle-borns. Other than that, nothing. No trace of anything regarding what happened before and after that"

Lux turned back to the corpses in front of him "The exact same holds for these three" he sighed "That makes twenty-one. We've found every Death Eater that was present that night, and yet we still don't have a single piece of useful information that we don't already know of"

Marcus' forehead creased in thought "It's obvious they were Obliviated before they were murdered" Lux simply let out a sound of agreement at his words. A moment of silence passed between the two, before Marcus continued "Maybe that's the key"

This piqued Lux's interest "What do you mean?"

"Notice how the other corpses we found were dumped in open spaces? Like a forest, or a field?"

"Yes, what of it?" Lux asked as the cogs inside his head started to turn at the possible implications of his companion.

"Well, okay, but I still don't know what _that_ has to do with the victims being Obliviated" Lux asked, his face marred with confusion.

"There are _other_ areas in this compound, you know" Marcus stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the universe.

Lux rolled his eyes "_Obviously_. What gave you the impression that I wasn't going to check the other rooms for any evidence?" he asked in mild irritation.

Marcus wordlessly went out of the room and back into the long hallway that contained the rooms they searched. Lux grudgingly followed his companion outside, still bewildered at what the latter was trying to express.

Both went down the stairs to the foyer, the first area they searched and inspected as soon as they arrived at the compound. The revealing charms they casted earlier were still up, as the room was littered with gold specks of dust.

"You do realize there were still about four rooms upstairs that we haven't checked yet?" inquired Lux. He was confused. Didn't Marcus just _remind_ him that there were "other areas in the compound"?

Marcus finally turned to him, staring at him blankly "Do you seriously think we'll find anything helpful upstairs?"

His words caused Lux to pause. The other rooms were undoubtedly secured with charms to prevent entry, just like all the areas they had already been in…aside from one. He noted that the foyer they were currently in was barely secured with any spells at all. In fact, they were essentially able to just walk right in earlier. Suddenly, the implications became clearer.

"So, you think we'll find what we need in the least secure area in this compound? You know, the one area that _isn't _rigged with charms and curses?"

A chuckle escaped Marcus "You're not an Auror, Lux. Stop thinking like one" he lightly chided as his eyes glinted with slight amusement.

That pushed Lux to fully understand why his companion led him back to the foyer. If the foyer was the least guarded area in the compound, that would mean it would be the place where the culprits would most likely leave traces of evidence. They would be so focused on casting charms on other parts of the compound that they'd be paying too much attention to what they were doing to not make any grave mistakes while they were in those said areas. And knowing how most Aurors would react upon discovering multiple charm-protected doors, they would most likely spend so much time and effort in trying to disarm the charms in an attempt to find out what's behind each and every door. Thus, the possibility of finding crucial information _outside_ the protected areas would probably fly over their heads.

"Figured it out now, didn't you?" Marcus teased as he watched realization dawn on Lux's expression.

"It's a good thing I'm not just an Auror then" Lux said as he shook his head.

"Wait until everyone else hears about this"

At this, Lux scoffed "I'm not the charms specialist here"

Marcus ignored his comment and approached the fireplace on the end of the foyer. He closely looked at the dust particles that surrounded him. He noticed that there were larger clumps of dust all over the fireplace as compared to anywhere else in the vicinity. He pulled out his wand and carefully inspected the fireplace if it was rigged with charms or curses. When he found none, he reached out a hand and rested it against the seemingly wooden mantel that enclosed the fireplace.

Lux silently followed him and approached the fireplace. After a few seconds of visually appraising the mantel, he noticed a small, thin fragment that sat atop near the middle part of the mantel. With narrowed eyes, he drew out his own wand and flicked it towards the fragment.

To his surprise, the fragment was indeed there, as it slowly floated up in the air. Marcus noticed what Lux was doing and turned his gaze towards him. With another flick of his wand, Lux levitated the fragment over to him. He sat the fragment down his palm and inspected it.

"Cedar. Used to craft some of the finest of wands…" Lux declared. With a raised eyebrow, he turned to look at his companion right in the eye "…the usual trademark of an _unusually loyal _wizard/witch"

Marcus smirked "Bingo" he took a step closer to Lux to have a look at the fragment for himself. "What do you suppose happened here?"

A few minutes of silence passed before Lux replied "The suspect most likely used a portkey to vacate this compound"

"Elaborate" Marcus replied.

Lux tilted his head slightly to the side as he continued his inspection of the fragment "We already checked earlier—no signs of apparition, or usage of floo powder. Which means the suspect either walked right out the door, or used a portkey to leave this compound. But with this fragment, I'm more inclined to say it would be the latter. I'd go out on a limb and say it was a single use portkey, the kind that you'd need to activate with your wand. That explains why this cedar wood fragment is here—it broke off from the wand the suspect was using. The wand must've broken when he activated the portkey. Come to think of it, notice how the memory fragments of the batch of corpses upstairs were much clearer to us than the previous ones were?" Marcus nodded "That may be because the wand that was used to erase their memories was already defective. And when the suspect used that same wand to activate a portkey, the wand could no longer hold the magical strain it was put through and simply broke"

Another minute of silenced reigned. It was broken when Marcus grinned and looked back up at his companion "Fucking excellent work. Do you think we can trace who owns the wand where this fragment came from?"

Lux furrowed his eyebrows "Unfortunately, I'm not sure. This fragment seems to have been part of the stem. It would've been much easier if it were part of the hilt. But I wouldn't put anything past Desmond and Robert"

Still wearing his grin, Marcus nodded "Damn right"

Lux looked up at him with a grin of his own "At least we _finally_ got something"

* * *

"_NO! It cannot be done without the boy! You must do exactly as I say, or else we will fail!" a voice hissed angrily._

_A brown-haired man dressed in black, who was kneeling before the source of the voice, bowed his head. "Of course, Milord. I will not fail you"_

"_Good. You will perish if you do"_

"_M-milord," a third person, Wormtail, stammered "…b-but how will we…our forces are nowhere near as powerful as th-theirs at the moment"_

_An annoyed huff rang across the room, causing Wormtail to flinch "You idiot! We are NOT to attack head-on, of course. Must you always be so insolent, Wormtail?"_

"_Pl-please f-forgive me, M-m-milord" Wormtail said as he repeatedly bowed._

"_An opportunity for us looms on the horizon. We will do whatever is necessary to take full advantage of it"_

_The black-clad brunet couldn't help but ask "If I may ask, Milord, but what do you have in mind?"_

_It felt as if the owner of the low, snake-esque. voice grinned evilly "Their forces are not as strong as they believe. And it is apparent that they, even __**he**__, is not aware of this. Which is exactly why we must act now, while this is the case"_

"_Forgive me, Milord, but won't they scramble to protect the boy once they are alerted of anything suspicious?"_

"_I am certain they will not. __**He**__ still does not know of our plans. And even if __**he**__ does, __**he **__will not do anything. Given the pathetic old fool that __**he **__is, __**he **__will simply wait. Which would leave the boy vulnerable"_

_Wormtail and the brunet grinned maniacally at the figure._

"_We must first isolate the boy. And I have the perfect idea to do so" the nefarious figure hissed as it laughed evilly_

Harry's eyes shot open. For a long moment, he simply stared at the ceiling, cold sweat covering his entire body. His breathing was labored, but he was able to keep his inhales/exhales quiet as to not wake up his dormmates.

It wasn't that he was scared. No, he'd been seeing that same exact nightmare since the summer. He was already well aware of his dream's premise that it did very little to actually frighten him. In a way, he had grown to expect what kind of nightmares he would have to face at night.

It was more that he was disturbed—disturbed at how lucid his nightmare was to him for perhaps the first time. He would usually only hear glimpses of the conversation between the three wizards in his nightmare, and most of the time the glimpses either had parts that were difficult for him to understand, or were seemingly completely unrelated to one another. But then, last night, his dream was continuous to a point where could fully make sense of the conversation.

Voldemort knew. He knew that he was isolated. He that he was vulnerable. Everything that was happening to him was part of his plan to get to him.

And he was succeeding.

At least, for the moment.

Harry felt fear slowly creep up on him. He didn't know if he should be scared that Voldemort knew exactly what was going to happen to him before it even happened, or that his plan was moving closer towards completion. This couldn't go on. He had to do something. Forget that he couldn't trust the people around him. Forget that Dumbledore wasn't doing anything to directly help him. Forget all of it. He _needed_ to do something, anything.

He had to talk to Sirius. He needed to discuss things with him. Surely, he'd have a few ideas on what he should do next.

Harry took a few minutes to calm himself and steady his breathing. A part of him couldn't help but laugh at himself. He had been able to outfly a dragon (a nasty one, at that), go back in time, slay a basilisk, and confront the Dark Lord in a different persona, and he was still scared. In a way, it was comforting that he was still scared. It reminded him that he was still human, that he wasn't a god, or a miracle worker like the newspapers say. He only wished he had a more normal life than he had.

Eventually, he was able to will himself out of bed. When he stood, he realized that it was still relatively early in the morning, as everyone else (even Neville, who was quite the early riser) was still asleep. He couldn't help but be glad; he didn't really want to deal with other people at the moment.

He showered and got dressed in his school robes. He decided to eat breakfast in the Great Hall, so that he wouldn't have to eat with most of his housemates. When he got downstairs, he was surprised to find Hermione already awake, sitting on what was unofficially designated as 'their trio's' table in the common room. She was sitting comfortably while reading a book, a small smile tugging on the corner of her lips as she read.

Harry paused for a moment. He couldn't even remember the last time he sat with her on 'their' table. He hadn't really gotten to since he and Ron weren't in the best of terms, and he would much rather _not _get into a row with the youngest male Weasley.

Foregoing breakfast, he began to walk up to where she was before greeting "Good morning, Hermione"

Hermione looked up from her book and her smile widened upon seeing him "Good morning, Harry"

He smiled back at her and took the seat beside hers "Aren't you up a little early?"

"I couldn't sleep anymore. Besides, I was in the mood for some advanced reading"

"When are you not in the mood for reading?" Harry joked.

Hermione playfully glared at him and lightly smacked him on the arm "Prat"

"Are you okay though? Or are you having a little bit of trouble sleeping?" he asked in a concerned tone.

Hermione shot him another warm smile "Yes, I'm fine. Like I said, I just couldn't get any more sleep last night. Thanks for asking though"

Harry suddenly remembered how she had been supporting him through the last few weeks. Whereas literally every student in the castle hated him or wanted nothing to do with him, she steadfastly stood by his side, telling him that the others didn't know what they were talking about and that he should, as much as possible, try and not listen to any of them. Even when Ron publicly and repeatedly insulted him for being a 'cheater', she acted as the mediator between the two of them, making sure that she spent time with the both of them as to not upset the other (more of Ron, really, since Harry didn't mind). And even when she had a slight mishap with her behavior towards him when they were out near the lake, she apologized to him as soon as she could and vowed to be better. Most importantly, she went out of her way to see him in the Champions' Tent yesterday just before the First Task started. When he experienced a rather severe panic attack, she said nothing and just held him in her arms until he settled down. When she was sure he had recovered, she encouraged him gently and did everything she could to trust in his own abilities.

Overcome with gratitude, Harry opened his mouth to speak before he could change his mind "Um, Hermione?" he started, causing Hermione to turn her gaze back to him "I just want to say thank you for everything you've done for me. These past few weeks haven't really been easy for me. Especially yesterday when…" Harry gulped and spoke in a quieter tone "…I…yeah, you…were there. So, thank you, very much. For being my friend, I mean" he finished awkwardly.

Hermione's gaze softened. She rested a hand on his shoulder and gave him a light squeeze "You don't have to thank me, Harry. I'm your best friend. Of course, I'd be there for you" she replied gently.

Harry truly was thankful for her. It was moments like these when he realized, despite his past, that he was still quite fortunate to have a true friend who had his back.

"So, did I miss anything the other day? Are we going to have a pop quiz that I'm not aware of or something?" Harry asked, changing the topic of the conversation.

Hermione understood what he was trying to do and followed "Not really. I'm just doing some extra reading on Arithmancy. The only thing of note we have scheduled at the moment is our practical exam for our Potions class, and that's not for another two weeks"

At the mention of Potions, Harry's thoughts immediately went to the small bottle he had found in the sixth-floor boys' restroom the day before yesterday. An idea abruptly came to him. He glanced around the common room and noted that it was only he and Hermione who were present. Now seemed to be as good a time any.

"Do you mind waiting here for a bit? I have something to show you. I just need to get it upstairs" he asked.

Hermione raised an eyebrow but nodded "Sure, go on ahead"

Harry stood from his seat and briskly walked back to his dorm room. He retrieved the small bottle from his nightstand and headed back downstairs. Upon reaching their table, Harry handed the small bottle to Hermione as he sat back down beside her.

Hermione took the small bottle and examined it. She shot Harry a questioning look when she didn't see anything unusual at first sight. "What is this, Harry?"

"I was actually hoping you'd tell me. I thought the scent of its contents was very familiar, but I can't quite point my finger as to what it really is"

Hearing this, Hermione opened the bottle and brought the tip to her nose to give it a sniff. She immediately grimaced upon catching whiff of the unpleasant scent "This is Polyjuice Potion. Quite a strong kind, too"

Harry froze. Polyjuice Potion. If there was one thing that he knew about Polyjuice Potion, is that it was rarely used outside of mischief and other more…_wicked_ reasons. He didn't know why, but he had a gut feeling that he had come across something big…something important. On the one hand, it was completely possible that the potion was used by some pranksters to perform all sorts of shenanigans. But on the other, it was also possible that the potion was used for more…serious purposes.

The raven-haired boy didn't know if he was on to something or if he was being ridiculously paranoid and illogical. But then, who could blame him? Everything that's happened to him so far this year had been out of the ordinary, starting of course with the bloody tournament. Also, his dream last night was not doing him any favors. He knew Voldemort was out for his blood, so he couldn't help but overthink about things a little bit.

Hermione, while unaware of all of Harry's mental struggles, did notice his sudden change in behavior. She carefully asked him "Harry, I'm assuming you don't own this. Where did you find it?"

Harry hesitated for a moment. In the end, he had no reason not to trust her, so he answered truthfully "In the sixth-floor boys' bathroom. I found it inside one of the cubicles"

His brunette best friend knew that he had been through a lot (especially lately) and knew better than to just dismiss him. From the look on his face and how his demeanor changed upon hearing that the bottle contained Polyjuice Potion, she knew he was bothered. But she also knew better than to pry. She chose her next words carefully "I see. That _does_ seem a bit odd"

Harry held out his hand, and Hermione responded by resealing the bottle and handing it back to him. The boy then wordlessly pocketed the small bottle in his robes. "It is. I'm not sure what to think of it though. For all I know, it could just belong to some pranksters or something"

Normally Hermione would suggest surrendering it to Filch since he was the school custodian, but she knew he had his reasons for keeping the bottle. He wouldn't have reacted the way he did otherwise. Besides, he would tell her about it if he wanted to, and when he was ready to.

She simply nodded in agreement "Yes, that's certainly possible"

Harry decided to shift the topic of the conversation once again. "Would you mind getting breakfast already? I was planning on going before everyone else did, so I got out of bed early"

Hermione nodded and closed her book. She silently understood his reasons for wanting to eat early. "Sure" she put her book back inside her knapsack and got up. Harry followed suit.

The two made their way down to the Great Hall, chatting casually as they walked. When they arrived, they sat beside each other on the Gryffindor table and ate. This had become a sort of a routine for them given that Ron opted to sit as far away as possible from Harry ever since the latter was declared a champion. After having their breakfast, Hermione went off to the library to continue her reading while Harry made his way to the owlery.

He had a letter to write and a package to get delivered.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys aren't too mad at this one. I don't know but I feel like the story didn't progress too quickly in this chapter, but this is the wordiest chapter I've ever posted so far (almost 5k words), and this is really meant to set the setting for the succeeding chapters. I can't promise anything, but I'm confident in saying that there'll be more action next chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed. Please leave a review, as it really helps me gauge if you guys like the style of writing I used for a particular chapter. Happy holidays guys! I hope you have a good time! Until next time hehe.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello again everyone! I hope your holidays went well! First and foremost, I would like to say thank you so much for the support you've given for this fic of mine. For the first time in my years of writing, I've actually managed to hit 100 follows! It's the first time I've ever hit 100 of anything on this site, be it reviews, faves or follows. So, thank you so much everyone! I hope you guys continue to tune in for the rest of this story hehe.**

**So, I've read a lot of really encouraging reviews after posting the previous chapter. First of all, I'd like to again clarify, that I have NOT read any of the books. I've ****only watched the movies****. I do understand if it's frustrating that I do not follow the books, but as I mentioned, I'm writing this story by following the movie. The reason for this is that in my opinion, it is much easier to write fanfiction/my own story based on the movie because there are a lot of gaps in the movies that present an author with events that they may use to begin their story with or even base their entire story off of. Just to clarify for everyone who is still reading, ****THIS STORY IS CANON-DIVERGENT. ****I apologize if I did not clarify that from the first chapter. I intend to borrow some elements of the series from the book, but for the most part I'm trying to minimize doing so and focusing more on actually creating my own twist for this story, if that makes sense? Another reason for this is I simply do not have the time to read the book, and I don't even own a hardcopy of GoF (I can't find my brother's copy anymore). For those reading this story thinking that I used the book as reference, I apologize, but you will indeed be disappointed, because I used the film as reference. I hope I've clarified that, and again, I apologize for not clarifying this earlier. Given this, I like to also add that in this story, Dumbledore and Moody does not warn Harry that there is someone out to get him, and simply allows him to compete the tournament and keeps the information to themselves.**

**All that being said, let me make it clear that this chapter is where I will start to rely on my knowledge of the film less, and actually try to make my own plot. So from here on out, there will be ****less references to the film****. Just a heads up.**

**Review Responses:**

**Guest: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! As I mentioned, I followed the film as reference, and not the book for this story. I would actually like to read the book, but as I also mentioned above, it's quite difficult for me to find the time to do so these days due to personal reasons. I write as a hobby, to have a creative outlet. I'm not as keen on reading, to be quite honest. And I really started this story with the film as reference, which I also mentioned in passing in the first chapter. I apologize if I wasn't clear on that. But thank you for your feedback though!**

**HPFan1999: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! That's actually the reason why I did not write the scene where Harry writes his letter, or even the contents of his letter. From what happened in the movie, Harry simply wrote to Sirius about having his dream and what he saw on the night of the Quidditch World Cup. I wasn't too sure on the details of the dream, hence I did not write it anymore and just started with the scene where Harry and Sirius were already talking. And regarding the plot to kill him, I remember in the film where Harry tells Sirius that he knew Voldemort wanted "to get" to him. It was directly out of the movie, in short. So I simply used it hehe. Thank you so much for the kind words! And I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

**decadenceofmysoul: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! And thank you for the kind words! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

**Joeking18: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! Thank you for the kind words! I hope your holidays went well, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

**Hortensia: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! Thank you for the kind words! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

**Skjolty: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! I apologize for that actually; that detail of Hermione teaching Harry Accio totally slipped my mind when I posted that chapter. I only remembered when it was already too late to work around it, so I sincerely apologize for that **** Regarding the Harry/Hermione moments in the book, it is a shame I'm not aware of those sweet gestures between the two, but I promise you that I intend to make up for the scenes I won't include in this story that were in the book by creating my own, so please bear with me. As for reading the book, like I mentioned, it's quite difficult for me to find the time to do so (for personal reasons), and this story is at the point where it starts to really become canon-divergent, so I'm not sure how useful it would still be at this point. Also, thank you so much for that pointer. I just wanted to sort of make a remark on the detail I mentioned? I didn't mean to give away a plot point with my author's notes. I will do better moving forward **** And I will also keep in mind your advice on the small details. I'm really grateful for that, because I constructive and helpful criticism is something I really like getting. So thank you so much again! I hope you keep on reading though hehe**

**ranchod das chanchad: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! And thank you for the kind words! I actually wasn't too sure about how detailed I should've been with the Polyjuice scene, but I'm happy it got your attention! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

**Now, on to the story!**

* * *

Harry found lunch to be more uncomfortable than he ever thought possible. Lunch was meant to be the one time in the day where people could rest from work and enjoy a nice meal. It was meant to be the time for people to relax a bit, and for the fortunate ones, do so with their friends and family. And for Harry personally, it was the time to temporarily ignore his thoughts (as best as he could) and just…well…eat.

It was not meant to be the time for people to stare at you while you try to finish a plate of mashed potatoes and turkey.

The boy resisted the urge to shiver from the stares everyone was giving him. As soon as he entered the Great Hall to eat lunch, the entire room fell silent as everyone stopped whatever he/she was doing (be it eating, chatting, chewing or drinking) to peer at him. The assortment of gazes ranged from proud, flirtatious, and appreciative ones, to jealous, spiteful, and almost evil ones.

Of course, he had been the center of attention (both good and bad) for many times in his life. But he hadn't been as uncomfortable as he was now. In fact, he was even more uncomfortable now than when his name was summoned from the Goblet of Fire. Because at least then, he was just sitting. But now, he was eating and drinking—acts that generally showed vulnerability.

It also didn't help that some people, specifically women, took an even bolder approach. Some of them would 'walk past' where he was seated and greet him in a rather flirty manner. One example was the Padma twins. When they passed him by earlier, they greeted him with a "Hello, Harry" in perfect sync while smiling a little too brightly than usual.

He didn't know whether he should be flattered or worried. And to think everyone hated him just before yesterday…

"You okay, Harry?" a soft voice whispered on his left.

He didn't need to look to know who it was. He swallowed before whispering back "Yes. I'm just amazed at how fickle most people here are"

Hermione frowned, although he couldn't see it "I'm sorry to hear that. It _is_ unfortunate how docile the lot of them are" she said sympathetically. She also noticed how everyone stared at him, and the not-so-subtle ways girls were trying to catch his attention.

"Will you be busy after lunch?" he inquired, this time turning his gaze to meet hers.

"No, not really. I'll just stay in the library and do some reading. Why?" Hermione asked after a moment of thought.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Harry asked almost hesitantly.

His best friend nodded at him with a smile "Of course not" she answered reassuringly. They had done this plenty of times over the past few weeks. He would ask her if he could go with her to the library, and she'd always say yes. It amused the brunette to know that Harry would still ask her at this point—she'd never turn him down anyway. Besides, Harry was by no means bad company in the library. He was quiet and didn't disturb her, but that was because he was either asleep or was trying to most of the time. Hermione guessed that her best friend wasn't getting enough sleep at night, so she let him be. She would only _lightly_ pester him to work when a deadline was approaching or when he was spacing out too much. This would explain why despite spending more time in the library, Harry's grades barely improved, if at all. She didn't want to push him given what he's been dealing with. Also, he preferred to be alone sometimes, and would go out to the lakeside or some isolated place by his lonesome when he wasn't in the mood for company.

Harry took a few last sips from his goblet and nodded to her. They both stood up and began to gather their belongings.

"H-hey, mate" a familiar voice spoke as Harry bent down to grab his shoulder bag. He turned around and was met with the sight of one Ronald Weasley. The redhead stood awkwardly with his hands clasped in front of him. It seemed like he was fighting to keep his eyes on Harry's face, clearly not able to look at his best friend (former?) "I just…I just wanted to say…" Ron gulped "…that I'm s-sorry. For not believing in you, I mean. I realized that you'd never…willingly participate in something as dangerous as that" he finished in a small voice.

Hermione stood silently, watching for Harry's reaction. The other Gryffindors around them also stopped what they were doing and tuned in.

Harry honestly thought that he would be a lot more emotional when this moment finally came. He had missed his redhead best friend terribly—he was his best and first mate after all. But Harry couldn't deny the fact that his blatant distrust and dislike of him over something he had nothing to do with created a considerable rift in their friendship; at least on Harry's end. Ron spoke words he never thought he'd hear from him, and did things he never thought he'd do to him. Harry knew he wasn't perfect, but he also knew that if his and Ron's roles were reversed, he would have given Ron at least the benefit of the doubt in a heartbeat, similar to what Hermione did for him.

But despite all of this, Harry felt…nothing. In a way he felt guilty over his lack of an emotional response to Ron's apology. But he just couldn't bring himself to feel anything. He wasn't angry. He wasn't upset. He wasn't even disappointed. He was just…indifferent. Maybe it was because a part of him had already forgiven Ron. Harry preferred not to hold grudges for as much as he could. Also, Ron's mistreatment of him won't make him forget all the good he'd done for him—he and his family had all but adopted him and treated him as one of their own.

Even so, it didn't mean that he would forget everything Ron had done to hurt him. He knew he would eventually fully forgive him, but he would never forget. In his greatest time of need, Ron chose to turn away from him. No matter how much he treasured their friendship, that would never, ever be forgotten.

Harry simply shrugged "It's alright. Apology accepted" he took a few steps towards the redhead and extended a hand.

Ron let out an inaudible gasp. To say he was shocked was a massive understatement. Just like that? No violent reaction whatsoever? With raised eyebrows and wide eyes, Ron reached out his own hand to shake Harry's.

Harry nodded at him "See you" he bade before turning to leave.

Ron's jaw slacked and his mouth went agape. As Harry went on, Hermione approached the redhead.

"Just give him some time, Ron. He'll come around" she advised in a near whisper so that only Ron could hear her. Ron was still too shocked to say anything but nonetheless nodded stiffly. She patted his shoulder affectionately, then turned on her heels to follow Harry.

When the two arrived in the library, they sat on Hermione's usual table. The brunette read up on Ancient Runes, while Harry borrowed her notes to see what he had missed since he didn't attend class the day before the First Task. They barely spoke a word to each other until it was time for their next class.

The silence between them was welcomed by Harry.

* * *

Sirius managed to reply to his letter much more quickly than he did last time—only six days after Harry sent his own. This made Harry think that either the Ministry had stopped intercepting owls, or that Sirius moved closer to Hogwarts for some reason. Sirius' responsorial letter only contained one sentence—that they would need to talk face to face again on the 30th of November. Also, much to Harry's joy, Sirius was finally able to send Hedwig back to him.

During the midnight of November 30th, Harry found Sirius as he did a week ago—the pieces of coal in the Gryffindor common room fireplace arranged in the shape of his visage. Harry then proceeded to recount the events of the First Task to his godfather, about how he was almost burned alive by the dragon, how he flew around it, how he was almost killed again when he crashed against a pillar, and how he managed to finally retrieve his egg.

"Very impressive, Harry. Not many wizards and witches can handle themselves the way you did against that dragon" Sirius praised sincerely.

Harry couldn't hide his scowl "I just wish I didn't have to do anything like that at all" he replied bitterly.

"I know, Harry, I know. Have you figured out the clue in the egg though?"

Harry sighed "No, not yet. When I opened it, all I heard were screams and shrieks. It's a bloody miracle I didn't go deaf to be honest"

"Hmm…interesting. Try not to think too much about it though. For now, just focus on trying to get some rest. How long until the Second Task?"

"Almost three months. It's due to be some time on the third week of February"

"Good, that's quite a bit of time for you to ease up, I hope. Anyways, regarding that nightmare of yours," Harry's forehead creased slightly at this "you mentioned you had a more detailed version of the one you've been having since the summer?"

Harry fell silent. Sirius grew increasingly worried as the moments passed. His godson was clearly in deep thought. He was about to try changing the topic of their conversation when he finally heard the raven-haired boy continue.

"He knows" Harry said stiffly. Sirius refrained from speaking, waiting for Harry to continue, which the latter did "Voldemort. He knows"

Sirius' makeshift face scrunched up in worry (and perhaps fear) "Knows what, Harry?" he muttered lowly.

His godson gulped "Everything. He knows I'm isolated, vulnerable. He knows that Dumbledore's not going to act in time, that he'd prefer to understand what's going on first before acting at all. He knows I don't have a lot of people to rely on right now" Harry explained, fighting to resist being eaten up by the anxiety that was crawling up his back "He knows that he has a clear path to me"

This time it was Sirius who fell silent. As Harry steadied himself, Sirius took a few minutes to think his next words carefully.

"How did you feel in the dream, Harry?" Sirius asked slowly.

Harry turned to him with a look of confusion "What do you mean?"

"What was going through your mind while you were watching Voldemort talking to his lackeys?" the animagus clarified.

Harry paused for a moment before answering "Nothing. At least, nothing personal. I felt like a mere spectator, like someone who wasn't meant to hear the conversation but somehow did" Harry tilted his head to the side "Why do you ask?"

Sirius let out what sounded like a sigh "I believe in you, Harry, you know that. I was just wondering how deep your connection to Voldemort really is"

"Connection?" Harry blurted out, confused and intrigued at the same time.

"The dreams, Harry. I'm sure by now that you refuse to believe they're _simply _dreams, correct?" Harry nodded "I'm with you on that. I think those 'dreams' of yours are most likely visions of what's actually happening. Voldemort is indeed on the move" Sirius stated grimly "And regarding the small bottle you sent me? What about it?"

"I found it in a cubicle in sixth-floor boys' bathroom. Hermione said it's Polyjuice Potion, but it honestly smelled a little too strong for me to identify on my own" Harry explained.

Sirius hummed "I see. I agree with Hermione's assessment—the bottle _did_ contain Polyjuice Potion. However, this particular one was brewed to bloody perfection. It's the kind that perhaps only your mother would be able to brew"

Harry was taken aback at the mention of his mother. Whenever Sirius would make a passing comment about his parents, it was always about his father. They were fellow marauders after all. He rarely ever mentioned anything about his mother. This small snippet of information about her caused a swirl of emotions to wash over Harry. All of the sudden, thoughts of Voldemort, his dreams, and the bottle of Polyjuice disappeared. All he had on his mind were his parents—his mother to be exact.

"Really?" Harry almost whispered, his voice full of emotion "Was she good?" he asked shakily

Sirius' expression softened. He gazed at his godson, the young boy staring off into nothingness. His emerald green eyes were shining with words, thoughts, and feelings he could never express out loud. His heart went out to him. He was robbed of so many things in his life. But most of all, he was robbed of his loving parents, parents that loved him so much it was beyond all comprehension. "Yes, but she wasn't just good—she was the best. She was the brightest witch of her age. And she was absolutely brilliant at potions. In fact, Potions was her favorite class" Sirius answered in a soft voice "She was so excellent at Potions that oftentimes she would know more about certain topics than our Professors did"

Harry let a watery smile spread on his lips. His mother was brilliant. She was the best. Of course, she was; she was the one who saved him from the killing curse after all. He couldn't help but feel proud. Even if he never got to actually meet her, he was honored that she was his mother.

The boy felt a lone tear slide down his left cheek. He couldn't help it. The thought of his amazing mother seemed to open floodgates of emotions that he had always tried to keep shut.

"I'm sorry" Harry mumbled as he wiped the tear away "I just wish I could've met her"

"Don't be sorry, Harry" Sirius chided gently "I'm sure she'd be proud of the brilliant young man you've become"

Minutes of silence passed with Harry trying to calm his emotions and Sirius simply letting him. While Harry always loved talking with his godfather, he was more than appreciative of the silence he allowed to befall them. When he was calm enough to proceed with their talk, Sirius got started again.

"Given that this is the case, then I think it's more likely that this potion was not brewed by some students looking to pull some pranks" Sirius surmised.

"I figured as much. When I found the bottle and smelled it, I just had a gut feeling that something wasn't quite right" Harry admitted.

"I think it's time we start trusting your gut feelings more, Harry. You did well by informing me of this—at least now we know of this possibility regarding Polyjuice Potion. As a matter of fact, I believe it's going to be your gut feelings that may help ultimately help us in the long run"

"How so?" Harry inquired

"Well, your dreams, or rather, visions, for one—they're the key to what Voldemort has been planning up to this point. See if any further developments occur. We might be able to gather more information through them. And the Polyjuice—if there really is more to the potion, like we think so, then this may be involved in things that are actually happening in Hogwarts. Be vigilant about this, Harry. As I told you last time, be careful of who you trust" Sirius paused for a moment. He said his next words with conviction and encouragement "We can do this, Harry. We can fight back. We can defeat him"

Harry wanted to believe him, but couldn't bring himself to fully do so. "How? I'm so caught up with the tournament that I don't know how to worry about other things. Plus, I'm only fourteen—I don't even know enough spells to last me through the tournament without getting nearly killed" He answered sadly.

To his surprise, Sirius smiled at him "I do believe I have a solution for the last part"

Harry raised an eyebrow "What, then?" he asked hesitantly.

"Are you free tomorrow afternoon?" Sirius asked seemingly out of the blue.

Harry thought for a moment "After four o'clock, yes. Why do you ask?" he replied, growing more and more confused.

Sirius' smile brightened "Great! I have two people I want you to meet with. They'll help you in all the necessary ways they can. And don't worry; they can be trusted as much as I can" Sirius answered vaguely "How about thirty past four tomorrow afternoon, by the bridge just outside Hogwarts?"

"Um, sure, but who are they, and why?"

Harry could see a glint of mischief despite his godfather's appearance made out of wood and charcoal "You'll see soon enough" Sirius stated mysteriously.

Harry then remembered that his godfather was a marauder.

"Just trust me on this, Harry"

He didn't know whether he should be worried or excited.

* * *

A sigh escaped his lips as he leaned back against the bench he was currently sitting on. His unruly blond hair was exposed to the setting sun's rays, and he was glad for it. Merlin knows how rarely he's allowed himself to do this in a public setting lately. Still though it wasn't like he didn't prefer to work while it was dark, since it made it easier for him to accomplish his duties.

He glanced at his wristwatch. The person he was supposed to meet should be here any second now. And as if right on cue, he heard footsteps approach him from his right. He didn't turn to see who the approaching figure was.

He didn't need to—he knew _exactly_ who it was.

When the footsteps became silent to indicate the figure had stopped a few feet away from him, he finally turned and shot the person a polite smile "Good afternoon, Mister Black. Please take a seat" he greeted as he gestured on the space beside him.

"Good afternoon, and thank you" the man greeted back and sat beside him.

"It's nice to see you up and about, Mister Black. It's good to see that you're not as gaunt as you were a year ago" the blond remarked.

Sirius smiled at the young man "I never got to thank you personally for your help. I am in your debt for assisting me in escaping that horrible place"

The blond waved his hand dismissively "There's no need for that. You were unjustly imprisoned after all. Now, on to the matter at hand—what do you have for me this fine afternoon, if I may ask now?"

Sirius turned serious (no pun intended) "I believe I have information regarding the Dark Lord's plans"

The blond beside him raised an eyebrow and gazed at him with a challenging look "Oh? And why would you go to _me_, of all people, Mister Black?"

Sirius calmly returned the young man's look and answered smoothly "Because I know you would listen…Mister Scamander"

* * *

Harry couldn't believe it. Of all the possible things, he certainly did not expect _this_. He tried prying more information out of his godfather regarding who he was going to meet. The marauder simply dismissed his questions with a teasing remark or by bringing something up that was completely unrelated to the matter at hand.

And now it was clear why.

A few feet in front him, stood two people—a man and a woman. He recognized the man as his former DADA professor in Remus Lupin. A wide grin broke out on his face and before he knew what he was doing, his feet were already dragging him to approach his all-time favorite instructor.

"Professor Lupin!" he greeted "I didn't expect you!" he added as he held out his hand.

His former professor grinned back at him and shook his hand firmly "Good to see you, Harry. It was meant to be a sort of a surprise" Remus' expression suddenly turned slightly serious "Padfoot tells me you could use some pleasant ones these days"

Harry chuckled half-heartedly "Well isn't that right?" he paused and let out a sigh "He told me that you'd help me, Professor. But he didn't exactly mention with what" Harry said with slightly narrowed eyes.

Remus nodded "We'll explain as we go. But first of all, don't call me 'Professor'. I'm not your teacher anymore, Harry. Please call me Remus, or if you want, Moony—my marauder nickname. And second, I'd like to introduce you to a close friend of mine. She'll be here to assist me with helping you" Remus turned to the woman beside him and gestured for her to introduce herself.

Harry turned to the said woman and was slightly disoriented by just how…pretty she was. She was shorter than Remus by a little over half a head. Her hair was pink in color and ended just above her shoulders. She had toned limbs and a nicely-shaped, lithe figure. She was wearing several layers of clothing, no doubt to shield her from the cold, but it was apparent that she was…well…_female_. She also looked at least a few years younger than Remus was.

The woman walked up to him and held out a hand with a smile that made her look even prettier than she already was "You look just like I thought you would. Wotcher, Harry! I'm Tonks"

Harry fought down a blush and shook her extended hand "H-hi" he greeted back awkwardly. Remus and Tonks exchanged a glance, resisting the urge to smile at the boy's reaction.

Remus cleared his throat "Okay then, we should get down to business. We're here to train you, Harry" Harry turned back to his professor with a questioning look "Padfoot told us about pretty much everything we needed to know about. You handled yourself brilliantly against that dragon, Harry" he praised.

"Yeah, that was amazing! I can't believe you managed to do that! Bloody impressive work that was, Harry" Tonks added. This time, Harry couldn't fight his blush and Tonks silently giggled at this.

"W-well, I just got lucky I suppose…" Harry trailed.

Remus shook his head "Nonsense. Anyways, Padfoot figured it would help if you learned some more advanced spells considering you're only a fourth year participating in a tournament meant for sixth and seventh years. Tonks and I will teach you some spells that you'll most certainly find useful, especially in the succeeding tournament tasks. On top of that, I will teach you several other charms, while Tonks will help you with physical conditioning since she's an Auror"

"Auror?" Harry blurted out before he could stop himself "Like Professor Moody?"

Tonks nodded "Yep" she replied, popping the 'p' "Alastor Moody was actually my mentor. But since he's already occupied with teaching this year, Remus asked me if I could help with you instead. Besides, I've just graduated from Auror Academy, and I'm excited to try my hand at teaching" she explained with a smile.

"O-oh…ok-kay…" Harry answered lamely, no doubt affected by the woman's rather aesthetic smile. Wow…she was an _Auror_? It's not that he had a prejudice against women or anything. It's just that…she is really attractive _and _is a dark wizard catcher. Harry couldn't help but admit that the teenage boy in him was very, _very_ impressed already.

Remus sniggered under his breath "We'll train you in a different environment, some place away from here. Wouldn't want anyone to sneak up on us while we practice, do we? We'll first start with the shielding charm. Let's get you to learn that properly first before we proceed with other spells. We can finalize your weekly schedule with us later"

A shielding charm? This was surely going to be exciting! Harry grinned. The shock over Sirius' 'surprise' for him was quickly replaced with anticipation. For the first time this year since his name came out of the Goblet, he suddenly had something he was genuinely looking forward to. "Alright then!" Harry exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement. But then his forehead creased questioningly "But how do we get to the place we're supposed to go?"

Both Remus and Tonks smirked at him.

"Have you ever heard of Apparition, Harry?"

Harry narrowed his eyes "No, can't say I have. Why?"

Their smiles widened at his response.

Somehow, Harry had a gut feeling that things might not go so well for him…

* * *

Harry stumbled up the seventh-floor stairs. Everything _hurt_. Every muscle, tendon, ligament, you name it—_all _of it just _bloody hurt_. He was now more thankful than ever that he wasn't hit with _Stupefy_ when Barty Crouch and his squad arrived at the scene in the aftermath of the attack during the Quidditch World Cup. He thought _Stupefy _was just a stunning curse meant to…you know, stun its target. Boy, how wrong he was.

Or maybe he was right. It might just be that the effects of _Stupefy_ increasingly gets worse the more times you get hit with it. And he was hit with it. A lot. A. Lot.

After their conversation near the bridge, Remus explained that they were going to travel via Apparition. His former professor then asked him to grab onto his arm.

And that was when bloody bollocks hit the fan.

Apparition was _fucking _horrible. It felt like being forced through a very, _very_ tight rubber tube. If Harry didn't know that they were supposed to _travel _in that fashion, he would've thought that Remus was attempting to mutilate him in the most painful manner possible. He wanted to vomit his guts out as soon as they had arrived in the supposed area where he was to be trained. Harry shakily took a few minutes to compose himself as he fought down the bile that was rising in his throat. Remus and Tonks simply let him be, remaining silent as they waited for him.

When he was sure he wouldn't throw up anymore, he glanced around him and found that they were in a large room of some sorts. The room did not have any windows in it, but it was lit with torches all around. It was also rather long and spacious, reminding Harry of how a part of the Great Hall used to look when the Dueling Club became a thing during his second year. He later found out that it was one of Tonks' personal training rooms in the Tonks family manor.

They then got down to actually practicing the shielding charm. Remus lectured him on a few things regarding the spell, such as its purpose, duration, casting parameters, and limitations, before actually demonstrating how to cast the spell. During the demonstration, Tonks fired a stunner at Remus, to which the latter deflected with his shielding charm. Harry felt the excitement bubble up in him upon seeing how handy the spell he was going to learn was.

If only it hadn't been so difficult to actually cast properly…

They then began his training—Remus was going to hit him with a stunner, and he was supposed to deflect it. During his first three tries casting the shielding charm, the shield he put up was quite pathetic as Remus' stunning spell completely pierced it and hit him square in the chest. By his fourth try, he was able to cast a strong enough shield to prevent half of his body from being stunned. By his ninth try, only his arm was being affected by Remus' stunner. And finally, by the fifteenth try, he was able to completely deflect his former professor's spell.

Harry insisted that they keep going but Tonks (who volunteered to be his 'healer' for his training session) told him that being stunned and Rennervated over and over again was not good for one's health. She lightly chided him and stated that he shouldn't overexert himself on his first day of training, much to his embarrassment. He tried to toughen it out, but it was obvious his new teachers knew that his body shouldn't be pushed any further.

Remus apparated him back near the bridge just outside Hogwarts afterwards. Harry did feel like throwing up again, but he was too distracted by his aching muscles to even care. Remus told him that he couldn't accompany him inside school grounds (saying something like enduring the results of training was also part of his training), and asked him to rest as soon as he got the opportunity to do so. They agreed to meet again same time tomorrow afternoon and bade each other farewell.

As Harry entered the common room, he realized that it was a miracle he didn't just keel over before making it. He then noticed that there were still quite a number of people who were still up. Some of them even started whispering amongst themselves when they saw him. The boy rolled his eyes. Don't they have anything better to do?

He decided that he didn't really want to shower just yet—he'd like to rest for a bit before washing up. He walked over and sat down on 'their trio's' table. The boy let out a silent groan, his sore limbs enjoying how he could finally settle down for a while. He slouched against his chair with his eyes closed, getting as comfortable as he could be in his current spot.

A few minutes of peaceful silence passed. Harry was just about to doze off when someone spoke to him.

"H-hiya, Harry" a familiar voice stammered.

Harry opened his eyes and turned to acknowledge the source of the voice "Oh, hey Ron"

"Mind if I join you?" the awkwardly standing redhead asked hesitantly. While Harry had 'forgiven' him, things still weren't normal between them. Sure, they'd greet each other whenever they saw each other in class or during meal times, but they haven't really had a proper conversation without Hermione around to mediate between them. It wasn't like Harry was intentionally making it more difficult for the both of them to talk. It's just that…Harry's had a lot on his mind lately. Aside from Hermione, he didn't really hang around anyone, and even then, he wasn't always with his brunette best friend.

Harry shook his head no "Not at all" he said as he gestured to the seat across him.

Ron muttered a quiet thanks and sat down across him. "We…uh…we didn't see you at dinner tonight"

Harry chose to not tell anyone of his conversations with Sirius, not even Hermione. He didn't really feel like explaining anything. And Hermione wouldn't really fully believe him until he had some sort of proof to back his claims up.

The raven-haired boy shot the redhead an apologetic smile "I was busy with an errand from Professor Moody" he lied smoothly "I didn't realize it was already past dinnertime when I finished"

Ron's mouth formed the shape of an 'o' "Oh, that's why…" he trailed "How are you though? I hope you've fully recovered from the First Task. Seemed like you got banged up a bit by that dragon"

"I'm doing a lot better now, actually. Still have a few bruises, but I'll live"

"Ah…that's…nice…"

Another wave of awkwardness engulfed the both of them again. Harry sighed. He took a good look at the redhead that was his best friend. A part of him didn't like how hesitant and awkward Ron had become with him. He had already apologized; even if it wasn't a grand one, he did do it in the end. And a week has already passed since Harry's rather 'formal' acknowledgement of the redhead's awkward apology. He still hurt from what Ron did, and he'd never forget how he was let down, but realized it was up to him to initiate anything that would involve their friendship moving forward.

He might never be able to forget what Ron did, but seeing how drastically different their friendship had become, he decided that he was willing to at least get things started again on a good note.

"Look, Ron, I'm sorry if I haven't been…normal lately. I just have a lot of things on my mind at the moment. I'll be alright, but I just…I just need some time" Harry explained.

Ron turned to him, his face clearly showing how surprised he was at Harry's words. He quickly shook his head no "No, don't apologize, Harry! I completely get it. I should be the one who's sorry for being a complete git to you" Ron apologized again, his head dropping slightly in shame.

"It's okay, mate. You've already apologized. And like I said, I've forgiven you already" Harry said with a smile.

Ron looked back up and slowly returned his smile. The awkward tension between them lessened considerably—it was pretty obvious to Harry upon seeing how Ron's shoulders relaxed.

It was then Harry decided to put off his shower for maybe about another hour in favor of _trying_ to spend time with Ron. They had some catching up to do anyways. "Up for a game of Wizards' Chess, then?" Harry asked, his smile still on his lips.

From the way Ron's face lit up, Harry knew that he more likely than not made the correct decision.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading everyone! I hope I didn't do too horribly with the last scene where Ron approaches Harry in the common room. From what I can tell from Harry's character, he's a very forgiving person, but he rarely forgets anything, especially unpleasant memories. I didn't really like how easily Harry forgave Ron for his behavior after his name came out from the Goblet, at least from the film. I hope you guys enjoyed! If you have any questions or clarifications, please don't hesitate to ask (PM or review). See you guys next time!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Just a few things before the chapter itself. First of all, I've updated the summary of this story, so I hope this makes it clear that ****this is a canon divergent story. **** Moving on, I'd like to clarify that I am not from Britain, so I am not familiar at all with their system of education. To what I've been able to gather online, it seems that there are three terms in Hogwarts per school year (September – December, January – March/April, April – June). Admittedly, I overlooked this bit of information when I first wrote this chapter, so please forgive me of there were some phrases or sentences that I was not able to remove/fix. Also, I would like to clarify that ****there are some parts of this chapter that I wrote based on my own school experiences****, so if that does not conform with the practices in British schools, then again, please bear with me. Thank you for your consideration.**

**Review Responses:**

**Joeking18: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! I will do my best to finish this story since I already have ideas for the latter chapters, and even the ending. Also, to answer your question, no this story will not go up to 7****th**** year. You will soon find out why, so please just stay tuned **** I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

**aidansidhe: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! I apologize for that oversight! I meant Patil twins hehe. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

**Skjolty: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! I do agree that the story arc where Harry trains and suddenly becomes OP is quite common. And yes, that is not how training works at all. At this point, I would like to suggest that you stop reading this review response and read the actual chapter first before proceeding to the remainder of this reply. I promise you, that no, I do not plan to make Harry an overpowered character. This chapter may suggest otherwise, but I guarantee you, that is not my intention. The previous chapters actually already addressed this in a few ways, hehe. Also, no, I sadly do not have anyone editing my stories. I'd actually love to have someone read my chapters before posting them, but I've never really met anyone in this site to actually do that for me. Thank you so much for the kind words! And I apologize for that oversight; as you may have already noticed, I dislike using the same words over and over again, so I try to use synonyms at times instead. I hope you enjoy this next one!**

**ranchod das chanchad: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! And thank you for the kind words! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

* * *

"Take five. Catch your breath for a bit" Remus declared while relaxing his stance.

Harry nodded as he gasped silently for air. He shakily exited his dueling stance and resisted the urge to collapse on the floor.

It was his third day of training with Remus and Tonks. They settled his schedule as follows: he has Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with Remus—for advanced dueling spells and charms, and he has Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (morning) with Tonks—for physical conditioning and endurance. Unlike his first day where both Remus and Tonks were present, only one of his 'instructors' would be present with him depending on his schedule for the day.

The raven-haired boy did everything in his power to withstand the burning sensation ripping through his lungs. Since it was for his own good, he asked his two mentors to not hold back on him (not even by a bit) starting his second day. And boy, did they _not_ hold back on him. Tonks made him run ten miles (on a time limit), do various exercises (push-ups, sit-ups, et cetera), lift small, but heavy objects repeatedly, and run an extra two miles at the end of his session with her. Remus used different combinations of dueling spells to test his shielding charm, and nine and a half times out of ten, he would either send Harry flying across the room or have him completely stunned. His training sessions would usually start at half past four in the afternoon and end at a quarter before nine in the evening.

It was absolutely _hell _for him. He thought his stamina was already decent enough from his five-mile, late afternoon runs when he prepared for the First Task.

He could not have been more wrong.

"Are you sure you want to continue, Harry?" Remus asked with an amused smile.

Harry glared at his former professor "Don't patronize me. I'm not used to this much activity…yet"

Remus chuckled, causing Harry's glare to turn borderline murderous "You asked us to not hold back on you, so we won't. Don't worry though; you're doing well for a fourth year. Even most Ministry workers have trouble with casting a decent shielding charm"

"I mean, it's not like most Ministry workers have a powerful dark wizard out to kill them" Harry replied dryly "I have to train harder than I can ever imagine. I don't have a choice" he added sadly.

Remus' smile disappeared as he sighed "I know. But that doesn't mean you should run yourself into the ground with your training. We have time, Harry. If you push yourself too hard too early, it'll hurt you more in the long run" the older man gently remarked.

Harry wanted to insist that there was _no_ time, that Voldemort was on the move, but he knew Remus was right. "Sorry. This year…hasn't been easy for me…" Harry stammered weakly.

His instructor walked up to him and rested a comforting hand on his shoulder "It's alright. Padfoot told me as much" Remus paused for a moment before continuing hesitantly "Do you want to talk about it?"

Remus Lupin was _by far_ Harry's favorite DADA professor in his time so far at Hogwarts. However, he never really had a close enough personal relationship with his old professor for him to actually open up about certain things in his life. While he knew Sirius (and most likely his own parents) trusted Remus with his life, Harry himself hasn't been as trusting of his instructor as he probably should have been. Sirius _did_ tell him that both Remus and Tonks could be trusted just as much as he could.

While Harry preferred to keep things about himself to himself as much as possible, he realized that it wouldn't hurt to let Remus in on some of his personal experiences so far in the current school year.

"Sure. But can we do it after? Don't we still have an hour or so to go?" Harry asked.

The part-werewolf smiled warmly at him "Alright. But I'll let you off a little early today. Fifteen minutes perhaps? That should be enough time for us to chat a bit, unless you want more time?" Harry simply shook his head no "That's settled, then" Remus' expression suddenly turned slightly more serious as his smile vanished and his eyes narrowed a tad "Break's over. Let's get back to work!"

The two continued their session for another forty-five minutes. Harry started showing more signs of improvement as he was able to successfully deflect his instructors' combination of spells several times. The boy however, couldn't help but think that maybe his former professor decided to go a little easier on him during the home stretch—they were supposed to have a chat afterwards after all, so Remus most likely made sure not to beat up on him _too much_ so that he could still talk.

After their session ended, they sat on the floor near a corner of the room. This time it was Harry who initiated the conversation.

"You let up on me back there, didn't you?" Harry asked with narrowed eyes.

His instructor chuckled and shot him an amused look "What makes you think so?"

Harry rolled his eyes "Oh please. I could barely deflect your spells before you let me take my break. Then afterwards I just suddenly became considerably better at it?"

Remus shook his head, not bothering to hide his still-growing amusement "Or maybe you really _did_ get better. Don't be so hard on yourself"

Harry just shrugged dismissively. Remus' amusement slowly turned into amazement. He never realized that the boy could be so…meticulous. No matter how many times he told him that he was getting better, the boy would simply brush him off and try even harder.

"So, how much did Sirius tell you already?" Harry asked, breaking Remus out of his stupor.

"He told us about how you were selected as a Tri-Wizard Champion, how you did in the First Task, and how you were present during the Death Eater attack at the night of the Quidditch World Cup" Remus recited with his forehead creased in thought.

"How detailed were his stories?"

"Not a whole lot. Like I said, he only told us what we needed to know to consider training you"

Harry sighed "We're going to need more than fifteen minutes for this, then"

Harry then proceeded to recount the events of the current school year up to the present moment to his instructor. He detailed each experience of his that he found notable in one or more ways. He eventually came to the subject of how his peers had treated him after he was named the second Hogwarts Champion.

Remus did his best to not pity his once favorite student. He listened sadly as Harry told him of how no one, except his best friend Hermione and his housemate Neville, believed that he didn't put his name in the Goblet of Fire. Everyone called him a liar, a cheat, an attention-seeking brat, and other names that made Remus clench his fists in anger.

"I'm…I'm sorry to hear that, Harry" Remus told him sincerely.

Harry shook his head dismissively "Don't be. I'm over it. None of them know me anyways"

It was then something clicked inside Remus' head. "Wait, you said only Hermione and Neville took your side?" Harry nodded "Then…" Remus trailed, eyeing Harry carefully for his reaction "…what about Ron?"

Harry chuckled humorlessly, which did not escape Remus' notice "He didn't believe me either. He was one of the more…_vocal_ hecklers I had, especially inside the Gryffindor common room. He's already apologized though, and I've already forgiven him"

"I see. It seems you inherited more from your mother than her eyes" Remus remarked with a wistful smile. Harry's interest piqued at the mention of his mother. Seeing the questioning and curious look on the boy's face, Remus continued "Your mother was very forgiving. Almost to a fault, to be honest. She ended up with your father, after all"

Harry couldn't stop the smile that spilled on his lips even if he wanted to "Really? What's that all about?"

"Well Harry, believe it or not, your mother actually hated your father up until our sixth year. Your father was…" Remus chuckled "…quite a brat back in the days"

Harry's face twisted in confusion. His father? A brat? He wanted to pry further, but remembered that it was _he_ who was doing the talking, and he still had to get to the succeeding parts of his recollection. "I see. Well, like I said, I've forgiven Ron—that doesn't mean I've forgotten about what he did. And to be honest, I'm not sure if I ever will…"

Remus frowned "We all make mistakes, Harry. Even the best of people do"

Harry nodded "I know that. I just didn't expect him to do what he did. But like I said, I've forgiven him. And I'm trying to act normal around him. It's just taking me some time…" While Harry had already accepted Ron's apology, it was more than obvious that it would take a bit more time before things concerning their friendship go back to the way they were before the Goblet incident. Sure, they were already able to hold a decent conversation with just the two of them, but Harry still couldn't quite say that he was truly _comfortable _around the redhead. They would talk about quidditch and play chess (usually at night since Harry was busy during the day), but Harry had not once even bothered to _try _and talk about anything remotely personal to him. In short, he and Ron were…cordial…at best.

"That's understandable" Remus said with a nod "I'd say just take your time then. With all that's been going on with you so far this year, it'd be best if you do so"

"That's for bloody sure…" Harry muttered lowly.

"I'm happy to hear that Hermione supported you all the way though" Remus decided to change the subject as it was clear Harry wasn't too thrilled to be talking about his (still?) best mate.

At the mention of his brunette best friend, Harry's lips curved into a small, fond smile "She's…a really good friend" Harry paused for a moment "She immediately knew that I didn't put my name in the Goblet. She encouraged me and supported me in whatever way she could. Even when we had a bit of a row, she apologized as soon as she could"

Remus was more than relieved at Harry's words. It was great to hear that the boy had at least one person in school who really had his back no matter what happened "That's great. She truly is your best friend"

Harry's smile widened as he nodded "Mm. I'm grateful that she is"

Remus glanced at his wristwatch and realized it was already fifteen past nine in the evening—thirty minutes past the time Harry was usually dismissed "I'm afraid we'll have to cut this short, Harry. It's already 9:15 in the evening. Let's continue our talk next time" Remus said as he stood up.

Harry followed and got on his feet "Alright. Thanks for the talk, Remus. I really appreciate it" Harry thanked sincerely.

"Of course, Harry. It's no problem" Remus acknowledged with a smile. The older man's eyes suddenly brightened in recognition "Oh! Before I forget, may I ask what subjects you're taking this term?"

Harry raised an eyebrow before staring at the ceiling in thought "Let's see…DADA, Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, History of Magic, and Divination" Harry recited "Why do you ask?"

Remus' face scrunched up in thought "Hmm, I see. Well, Harry, as I mentioned two days ago when we held our first session, I'll be teaching you more advanced spells as we progress with your training" Harry nodded in acknowledgement "You might find learning some of the spells I plan to teach you much easier if you take certain subjects alongside your training. Since it's almost the end of first term, may I offer a few suggestions?"

Harry didn't quite understand what Remus was getting at, but agreed nonetheless "Of course"

"There are two subjects in your current situation that I think will help you tremendously should you decide to take them. One is Arithmancy. Arithmancy is somewhat like number-driven Divination, where future events are predicted using the magical property of numbers. This is very useful for you, Harry, as having a solid understanding of Arithmancy will help you estimate, for example, the potential effectiveness of a given spell, which will in effect allow you to minimize the risk of failure and/or injury in the context of spellcasting. I cannot stress enough how useful that will be, especially in combat" Remus stated that last sentence emphatically "The second is Ancient Runes. Ancient Runes will help you to understand the prerequisites of more advanced spells more clearly. There are some spells, like the Patronus for example, that require you to be in a certain disposition for you to be able to cast them effectively. Learning how to cast a spell will allow you to simply do so. But learning the background of a spell as well will allow you to utilize that spell to its _maximum capabilities_. I will give you a copy of the spell book I use as reference as we progress—but it's written in runic scripts. Also, it doesn't hurt to know how to translate runes—you'll never know when the need for it will arise. Both of those subjects are usually taken starting third year. But with some extra studying, you should be able to catch up"

Minutes of silence passed between the two. Harry digested his instructors' words, while the latter simply waited for a reaction.

"As much as I appreciate your faith in me, may I ask: how sure are you that I'm not just going to flunk those classes if I decide to take them at this point?" Harry deadpanned.

Remus smiled at him "In my year of teaching you, Harry, I can say that you're a person who learns best during a time of need" Harry looked at him questioningly, silently asking him to continue "You learned the Patronus charm after experiencing firsthand how dangerous the Dementors are. You learned the summoning charm on your own when Mad-Eye suggested it for the First Task. And now you're leaning the shielding charm, a by no means basic spell, as you know it'll be a very useful spell for you for the rest of the tournament"

It didn't take long for Harry to realize that his former professor was right. He seemed to learn best when something was at risk—particularly his own life. And this time, his life is definitely at risk because he _knows_ Voldemort is coming for him. Harry grew anxious at the thought.

Voldemort was after him. He had to do everything he could to prepare himself.

Harry gulped and nodded "I'll think about it. The class transfer and withdrawal period for our second term already began yesterday. I can finalize everything by next week latest"

"That's all I ask of you, Harry" Remus finished with a nod of his own.

A thought suddenly struck Harry "Hang on though, do I really need to take Ancient Runes as a class? Can't I just use a dictionary, or even ask someone else to help me with the translations I'll be needing for the spell book?" The boy remembered that his best friend took and was still taking Ancient Runes to this day. He smiled to himself; how could he forget when she almost bit Ron's head off last year for speaking a word within her hearing range while she was studying for her Ancient Runes exam. "I can ask Hermione if she's up to it"

"Of course, you certainly may. As a matter of fact, I think you actually should. I'm sure she'd be more than willing to help you. But I suggested that you take the class itself because as brilliant as Hermione is, she won't always be around to help you. Unless you've somehow found a way to make her magically appear by your side at any given moment, I believe it'd be good for you to know how runes are interpreted in general. Plus, there are semantics, such as rune sequences and the like, that would be very useful for you to learn on your own" Remus answered.

'_It's not like I need magic for Hermione to be around to help me. She always seems to be at the right place at the right time'_ Harry thought inwardly. Nevertheless, the boy hummed in acknowledgement "Point taken"

Harry then pondered how he was going to get through the rest of the school year alive. People hated him (albeit not as much as they did a week ago), Voldemort was after him, Dumbledore wasn't actively protecting him, he was being physically and magically tested everyday by his two new instructors, and he now had to consider taking two classes he opted to _not_ take the previous year.

If Voldemort doesn't get to him first, he knew his workload would eventually kill him. At least it wasn't going to be as…cruel…he supposed.

* * *

It only took a night's worth of heart-wrenching night terrors for Harry to make his choice.

"May I ask what the reason for this rather sudden decision is, Mister Potter?" Minerva McGonagall asked the boy standing in front of her as she scrutinized him with narrowed eyes.

Harry resisted the urge to shift uncomfortably under his Head of House's gaze. Summoning all the courage he could muster, he met the older woman's gaze head on as he answered "I've given it some thought, Professor, and I realized that Arithmancy and Ancient Runes will be of far greater use to me than Divination. I do not mean to be disrespectful, but with the ongoing Tri-Wizard Tournament, I believe I may learn a thing or two in the subjects I wish to transfer to that may help me with the remaining tournament tasks" Technically, it wasn't a lie on Harry's part. Of course, the main reason as to why he was being trained in the first place was supposedly because of the tournament. In his conversations with Remus and Tonks, Harry realized that Sirius hadn't told them about his nightmares involving Voldemort and his lackeys. He was thankful for that, since Harry wanted to be able to decide who he'll tell his secrets to and when. But Harry knew that his godfather wanted him to be trained for more…dire reasons.

McGonagall simply eyed him as silence blanketed her office once again. Harry knew that his professor was trying to find out if he was lying or if he had an ulterior motive behind his seemingly sudden decision to switch classes.

"Mister Potter, while I do understand your sentiments, are you certain you want to push through with this? Arithmancy and Ancient Runes are not easy subjects by any means. Not to mention, you will need to catch up on one year and one term's worth of lessons since you did not take either subject last year" Minerva asked with a concerned look on her face. "I would also like to remind you that your current class standing in Divination is 'Outstanding'. Should you decide to withdraw, your end-of-term report will display a grade of 'Withdrawn' for that class, effectively nullifying your current grade"

"Yes, professor, I understand. I've deliberated enough. This is my decision" Harry answered with conviction. He hasn't given a lick about Divination since Professor Trelawney 'predicted' his death a year ago anyway.

A few more minutes of silence passed before Minerva finally nodded "Very well, Mister Potter. I hereby approve your transfer. Present these to your new professors—Professor Septima Vector for Arithmancy, and Professor Bathsheda Babbling for Ancient Runes—before the start of class to notify them of my approval and endorsement" Minerva slid two pieces of neatly folded parchment towards the front of her desk "Knowing those two, they will most likely allow you to attend class already even if the term is almost finished. I've also requested for them to make your final requirement for the term optional. Whether they actually do so or not, is up to them, however. Bear in mind as well, that they both may require you to take a special exam to make up for this term's lessons. You may speak to them regarding this"

Harry nodded gratefully "Thank you, Professor" he took the notes from her desk and pocketed them.

"Will that be all, Mister Potter?"

"Yes, Professor. I'll be on my way now. Thank you for your time and consideration" Harry gave a small bow and turned to leave.

He went to the Owlery to place an order for the textbooks he'd be needing for his new classes, then proceeded to the library to borrow copies of said textbooks for the time being. As he walked out of the library, he realized that he still had half an hour before the start of his next class, which funnily enough, was Arithmancy. As his Head of House advised him, he got to his designated classroom early and waited for his new professor to arrive. To his slight surprise, Professor Vector walked in the almost empty classroom (it was not empty because of him) fifteen minutes before the start of class. He walked up to her desk and handed her McGonagall's note while informing her of his decision to take up Arithmancy. His professor simply gave him a curt nod and welcomed him to her class. She also told him, quite sternly, that she does not grant exemptions from the final requirement of the term—no exceptions. She did note that the final requirement of the term for her class was going to be a take-home problem set that her students were supposed to accomplish over the Winter Break. Harry 'accepted her terms' before taking the seat nearest the door on the back-most row, waiting for class to start.

When his first Arithmancy class ended, Harry didn't bother to hide the smile on his face. Arithmancy was brilliant! Sure, Professor Vector was bloody scary, but the subject matter was definitely more interesting than he could've ever expected! Harry had always been fond of numbers during his years of muggle education. If it weren't for the fact that his aunt and uncle coerced him into doing horribly in his pre-Hogwarts studies (lest he face several days of punishment), he knew that mathematics would've been one of his stronger subjects. He was by no means a math wizard (no pun intended), but he never really found the subject to be difficult. And seeing how numbers could be applied in the wizarding world thrilled Harry greatly. Fortunately for him, their current topic in class was a standalone one, meaning he didn't need to know of any prior lessons to understand it as it was the final topic for the term. While he wasn't able to fully grasp everything, he wasn't completely lost either…or at least he hoped so.

As he packed his bag, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw his best friend with her eyebrows raised up to her forehead and her face scrunched up in confusion.

"Harry? What are you doing here?" she asked almost incredulously.

Harry stifled a chuckle and shot her a teasing smirk "I attended class, Hermione"

"Class?" she blurted out, her confusion reaching almost critical levels. Harry couldn't hold it anymore and burst out laughing. Hermione's expression suddenly turned murderous. She shot the laughing raven-haired boy a glare that would make even Dumbledore cower in fear "Harry James Potter, explain yourself this instant!" she screeched loud enough for only those in the back row of the class to hear. Those who heard the brunette hurriedly grabbed their things and left the room before Mount Granger exploded.

"I wasn't kidding! I was here for class" Harry stammered after his laughter subsided, though his smile remained.

Hermione examined him as if he were an uncannily difficult test question. Harry struggled to keep his laughter in, as he didn't really want to annoy his best friend. After a few moments, Hermione finally spoke "Since when?"

"Just today. I spoke to Professor McGonagall earlier this morning about transferring classes, and she approved"

Hermione narrowed her eyes further at him "Why not just wait until next term?"

The boy shrugged "No particular reason. I mean, I might as well start now since I'll probably need to take a comprehensive exam some time next term to make up for everything I've missed so far"

"Ah…right" Hermione nodded as her glare disappeared, much to Harry's relief "What made you decide to take Arithmancy, then?" she asked curiously.

"Oh, I just thought it'd be interesting" Harry tried to sound as nonchalant as possible in his reply. This caused his best friend's glare to return full force. Harry inwardly rolled his eyes "Fine. I thought it'd be useful for me, especially for the tournament"

The brunette's expression softened "I see. That's good, Harry. Did you have to drop any of your subjects in favor of Arithmancy though?" she asked, clearly steering away from the topic of the tournament.

"I dropped Divination for it" Harry answered.

Hermione grinned, clearly pleased with her best friend's decision "Brilliant! Arithmancy is infinitely more useful than Divination. More importantly, Arithmancy is _actually_ worth your time"

Harry shook his head amusedly at her blatant disdain for Divination, but he had to agree "From just today's lesson, I think I actually agree with you on that now" The brunette beamed at him, which made him smile "Anyways, lunch?"

Hermione shook her head no "Maybe later. I had a heavy breakfast, so I'm still quite full"

"Same" Harry admitted. He didn't get to eat dinner the previous night, so he made up for it earlier during breakfast "Library, then?"

"Sure" the brunette replied with a nod.

The two exited their classroom and made their way to the library. In the middle of their walk, Harry suddenly remembered to ask her about his _other_ new class.

"Oh, by the way," he started, causing Hermione to shift her gaze towards him "do you mind if I ask what tomorrow's lesson will be for Ancient Runes?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow suspiciously "Why do you ask?"

"So I can start catching up" Harry replied as if it were the most obvious fact in the universe.

Hermione came to an abrupt halt. Harry did the same and awaited the brunette's response. Another grin threatened to spread across the boy's lips as he watched, for the second time in the last few minutes, his best friend be swallowed up in confusion and disbelief. Maybe it was because she saw the corner of his lips tug upwards, but Hermione, after a few moments of just blankly staring at him with widened eyes, gave him a glare that was even fiercer than the one from earlier, if that was even possible.

"Okay, something's _clearly _up. Spill" she commanded with her trademark 'no non-sense' tone.

Harry remained calm "I decided to take Ancient Runes as an extra subject. They can help with understanding spell books, as you know"

"Yes, _ancient_ and _advanced _spell books, to be more specific" Hermione narrowed her eyes in suspicion "Just exactly what kind of spells are you after?"

The boy shrugged "I don't know yet. I'm just trying to be prepared just in case" And it was the truth. Remus hadn't given him the spell book yet…so technically it wasn't a lie.

Hermione examined him for a few more seconds before she backed off. She clearly wasn't fully convinced, but she knew her best friend was telling her everything that he was comfortable sharing. Besides, she wasn't going to complain if her best friend was starting to care more about school! Harry seemed to pick up on her thoughts, and couldn't help but be inwardly thankful that Hermione was his best friend.

"Okay then. I do have to warn you though," Hermione frowned worriedly "Arithmancy and Ancient Runes are not easy subjects on their own. But taking both at the same time, they're quite difficult. Also factor in that you didn't take either class last year, and that you're a midyear transferee this year for both"

He nodded "I'll do my best for both subjects then"

She smiled proudly at him "Good to hear! I can help you too, if you want?"

He returned her smile "Of course! I'll never turn down help from you, you know that" he teased. He then added sheepishly "I was actually just about to ask you if you could"

The brunette laughed "How predictable of you, Mister Potter. It looks like you'll have another reason to spend more time in the library!" she declared brightly.

Harry rolled his eyes but retained his smile "Indeed, I'm afraid" he shot back sarcastically. Hermione simply punched his arm playfully in response.

When they arrived in the library, they sat themselves down on 'Hermione's' table and began studying. Unfortunately for Harry, he didn't find Ancient Runes as interesting as he did Arithmancy. While Ancient Runes was fascinating enough in that it was about a different language, it wasn't as engaging as Harry would've preferred. Still though, they were able to make what Hermione considered 'acceptable progress' given that Harry was a midyear transferee and had no prior background on the subject whatsoever. She helped him understand enough to the point where he shouldn't be utterly clueless for tomorrow's lesson.

When they finished, Hermione saw her best friend do something that made her question if she were hallucinating (for the third time today)—Harry James Potter pulled out what she recognized to be their fourth year Potions book from his bag and started reading with a kind of focus she didn't know the boy possessed when it came to academics. She wanted to get his attention, to somehow confirm if what she was seeing was real, but she was unable to. She just watched in awe, with her mouth slightly ajar as Harry Potter vigorously studied Potions. She noticed that the boy had begun to read more on Potions since the beginning of the week. But this was the first time she had ever seen him so focused in his reading. The weirdest part was that it seemed as if he was actually enjoying himself—there was a small smile on his lips while he was reading. She wanted to think it was probably because of their upcoming practical exam for Potions next week (which was their final one for the term), but she couldn't help but feel that there was much more to it than that.

Just what in the bloody hell was happening?

* * *

"So, Robert, any significant developments?" Lux asked as he entered the room. The young man he spoke to looked up from his desk and shot him a malicious glare. Lux rolled his eyes "Okay, fine let me repeat that. So, _Matkovic_, any significant developments?"

"No, I'm afraid not" Matkovic replied in his heavy Russian accent "I've done all I can with this fragment. I cannot determine anything else of use to us"

"What have you got then?" Lux asked as he placed his hands on his hips.

Matkovic wet his lips before answering "I can verify that the wand this fragment came from was used to cast Dark Arts spells. But as to exactly what specific spells, I cannot say. The fragment is too small, and has been drained of its power for far too long to provide any more sufficient information"

"That's unfortunate" Lux remarked with a deep frown.

"Indeed. Furthermore, I believe I have determined the reason as to why this fragment broke off from the wand it was part of" Lux narrowed his eyes at those words "The said wand was used for a purpose that was against the its very nature"

"What do you mean?"

Matkovic clicked his tongue "As you know, it is widely believed that it is the wand that chooses who its master will be. And as you also may be aware of, that is partly true. When the wand chooses its master, it does so for a very specific, and personal purpose. Some wands choose a master who is naturally skilled in magic. Some wands choose a master who is kind. So on and so forth. This particular wand, chose its master because of his/her caring and loyal nature. It is a wand made out of cedar, after all. But then the person who used this wand at the time it broke, was very unlike its 'original' master"—that person was not caring, and either not loyal, or loyal for the wrong purpose"

Lux narrowed his eyes "Can you illustrate further?"

"Certainly. Let's suppose, as an example, that this wand originally chose its master because he/she is a good person—a good person who wishes to protect those around him/her. The wand would devote itself into serving its master for that very purpose. It will go to any length just to ensure its master would be able to protect others. But then the wand fell into the possession of another person—a person who is not 'good' in the same way; a person…who wished to do the opposite—to hurt, torture, or even murder others. The wand realized this, so it rebelled. It fought back. It resisted its last owner, as it knew that he/she was not the one it originally chose. This would explain why all the corpses you and Nagant found over the last few months still contained decipherable memory fragments as you both reported. The Obliviate spell they suffered was not as powerful as it should have been"

"If that's the case, then why was the last owner still able to use the wand to cast Dark Arts spells and such? Shouldn't the wand have been ineffective?"

"It was, but only to a certain extent. As I mentioned, the last owner was unlike the original one. But it seems that the former had enough of a resemblance or similarity to the latter, that the wand was still able to function up to a certain capacity. The wand did not function to its _full capabilities_, but worked enough to allow the last owner to cast spells with it"

"Resemblance? What kind of resemblance?"

"There are several possibilities. One is that the original owner and the last owner of the wand were related by blood. Another is that both are for example, loyal individuals, except the loyalty of the last owner was not out of kindness or being caring; the kind of loyalty that is driven by something more…sinister…"

"This was much more complicated than I thought" Lux sighed "I thought the wand was simply defective and could not handle the spells its user was casting"

"That is actually correct. You mentioned that the memories of the last batch of corpses you found were much clearer than the others, right?" Lux nodded "I believe that has less to do with your rare proficiency in legelimency and more to do with the 'defect' of the wand, as you say. I assume that at that point, the wand was being more resistant to its last owner than it has ever been. The magical energy released by the wand upon activating the portkey that its last owner used, combined with the resistance of the wand, was enough to allow the wand to 'take control'—so it broke itself. Which leads me to another point—the wand where this fragment came from was stolen from its original owner. Either that or it was taken forcibly away from him/her. The wand would not have wanted to destroy itself otherwise"

Minutes of silence passed as Lux tried to digest everything Matkovic just told him. He broke the silence to ask his next question "Can you trace who the owner of the wand is then? Either the original one or the last one?"

Matkovic shook his head with a frown "No. Not specifically at least. There are hundreds of wizards and witches in Europe who own wands made of cedar. We can't just apprehend any cedar wand owner who has a history of using Dark Arts"

Lux ran a hand across his face in exasperation "So the trail goes cold…yet again"

"I wouldn't say that just yet. It's best to inform everyone of this first, before proceeding"

Lux eyed him suspiciously "You're not telling me something"

Matkovic grinned "How perceptive of you" he remarked dryly.

"Just tell me. I'll hear about it later anyways"

Matkovic rolled his eyes "Very well. I am inclined to believe that the suspect, the last owner of the wand, was a Death Eater"

Lux's eyes widened "A Death Eater? But why would a Death Eater kill fellow Death Eaters?"

"That I cannot answer. But as for why I believe the individual we are looking for is a Death Eater; the memories you and Nagant showed me, the ones of the corpses you two found—they suffered from curses and spells that are too dark in nature to be used by normal Dark Arts practitioners. As a matter of fact, the curses strongly remind me of the ones that Voldemort's more…ardent followers during the The Great Wizarding War used to frequently bestow upon their victims" Lux shot him a questioning to look, to which he responded with a chuckle "I should know. I'm from Durmstrang, remember? Voldemort's and Grindelwald's followers have a lot more in common than you think"

Lux bit his lower lip and pondered his thoughts.

Who was this Death Eater that killed his fellows?

And more importantly, why?

* * *

"What can I do for you, Minerva?" Dumbledore asked without looking up from the piece of parchment laid out across his desk.

"Albus, I am worried about Mister Potter" Minerva said with a frown.

"Oh?" Dumbledore replied almost uninterestingly, his gaze still trained on the parchment.

Minerva's frown deepened "He came to my office this morning and requested a transfer to two classes—Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, dropping Divination in the process"

"Ah, a rather wise decision if I do say so myself" Dumbledore simply mumbled absently.

Minerva glared at the headmaster for his reaction, or lack thereof "Perhaps it has escaped your knowledge, Albus, but Mister Potter has NEVER taken Arithmancy or Ancient Runes before. When I asked him why he would do such a thing, given that we are almost at the midway point of the term, he claimed it was to aid him in his preparation for the remainder of the tournament" Minerva couldn't conceal the anger and frustration in her tone "I've always been adamant about letting the boy compete, but now he's embracing being a part of this cursed tournament as if it were something he was always meant to do!"

"And yet, you approved of his transfer, did you not?"

"Of course, I did!" the woman spat out with a sneer "Why would I not allow him to equip himself better for whatever dangers lie ahead of him! It's the least I can do for the poor boy!" The Head of House Gryffindor exclaimed emphatically. She was guilty that she couldn't protect one of the bravest, and most talented Gryffindors she's ever had. From when an infant Harry was left in the care of the Dursleys, to him being forced to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Minerva had always wanted to do right by him at the very least. But in the end, it was Dumbledore's word that reigned.

A moment of silence passed before Dumbledore finally looked up from his desk. He met Minerva's steely gaze with a calm one "Which is precisely why I am letting him be, Minerva. I am well aware that Harry has begun a chain of rather unusual actions. I do not know exactly why yet, but I will soon enough"

"What do you mean?" the woman asked questioningly, her glare still firmly intact.

Dumbledore smiled "Since last Monday, Harry has been leaving the castle every afternoon after his classes. According to Alastor, he meets with either Remus Lupin or Nymphadora Tonks and Side-Along Apparates with them to somewhere. He then returns to the castle in the middle of dinner, seemingly exhausted. My guess is that the two are training him further, and I would not be surprised if they were the ones who suggested he take up his new classes. For that, I am certain Harry is in safe hands, hence I am not stopping him"

Minerva's glare slowly smoothened to a more composed expression "Have you spoken to either of them then? About the exact nature of what they are doing with Mister Potter?"

The old man shook his head "No. I see no reason to do so. Harry chose not to inform anyone of this. I'm sure he has his reasons. So, I will leave it at that"

The woman sighed "I am just worried for the boy's health. It is not difficult to see that the past few weeks have not been kind to him"

"I know. Believe me, Minerva, I know"

* * *

Hermione was becoming increasingly worried. Where in the world was Harry?

The brunette bit her lip and rested her arms on the table in front of her. The day had been almost disturbingly weird—even for her. Harry Potter, her best and closest friend—the boy who preferred to talk about Quidditch and to play Wizard's Chess despite being utterly horrible at it over reading a book—spent the entire day studying with her. And no, it wasn't the kind of studying that she was accustomed to seeing from Harry where the boy would try to read a few pages before losing focus for a minute or two for every five minutes. No, Harry Potter actually studied _properly_. He read his books meaningfully and made concise but clear notes along the way. His efforts were nowhere near hers (then again, whose is anyway?), but they were still very impressive. Especially when he studied Potions with such unwavering focus. On top of all that, there were also times when he stopped to ask her questions that actually made her think. She never knew that her best friend could be so…disciplined with his studies.

Which was why after they left the library for class, she decided she'd confront him about his _uncharacteristic_ behavior later.

Except it was already past dinnertime and she still couldn't find him.

When classes ended, Harry went to the common room while she returned to the library. Then when dinner came along, she wasn't surprised to see that Harry wasn't in the Great Hall. He'd been avoiding the place since people kept gawking and whispering about him after his performance in the First Task. As a result, he preferred to have his meals in the Kitchens. She finished her dinner quickly (but still gracefully) and went down to the Kitchens to see if he was there. He was not. She asked Dobby, while resisting the urge to go on another tirade about elf rights, if he'd seen Harry around. Dobby then informed her that Harry hasn't eaten dinner at all the entire week and would instead eat more during breakfast the following day.

That was enough to more than alert the brunette. She knew that she absolutely had to talk to Harry today. All this time she thought he simply wanted to stay away from crowded places. But now, she got the feeling that something else was going on with him. And he was hiding it from her. She should've as figured much when he started studying like never before. Deciding on her next course of action, she went back up to the common room and sat on their table to await his return.

After what felt like years of waiting, she was interrupted from her thoughts when she heard someone enter the common room. She looked up to see who it was and was immediately relieved. There stood the very boy that she was looking for, but he was wincing and his shirt was…drenched?

The brunette shot up from her seat and briskly walked up to him.

"Harry! Are you okay? What happened to you?" she started questioning as she took a good look at the boy.

Harry tried to smile at her but it looked more like a grimace "Errands, as usual. From Professor Moody"

Hermione glared at him "We are going to talk. Now"

Harry gulped. A pissed Hermione was not one to be trifled with. He nodded "Sure, but may I shower first? I'm disgusting right now"

"Of course. I'll be at our table. Waiting" Hermione answered, her glare still in place.

It was going to be a long night for Harry.

* * *

**A/N: That was the lengthiest chapter I've written so far. That one was around 7.5k words long, which is nuts even for someone like myself who enjoys writing detailed chapters. I just felt like if I shortened the chapter, then the succeeding ones would be a lot more difficult to follow.**

**Regarding the midyear withdrawal and transfer of classes that Harry did, this is what I mentioned in my first author note for the chapter about me using some of my real-life school experiences for writing this chapter. In my high school, we followed a quarterly system for every school year. We were allowed to switch classes at the end of the first and second quarters. This is because some students in our school become eligible to take advanced classes in the middle of the year when their grades for their prerequisite subjects are high enough. Due to this, teachers are very lenient with accepting transferees and approving withdrawals, especially in the second quarter of the school year.**

**Another thing: what was my logic behind having Harry take Arithmancy and Ancient Runes? I want to clarify that I did not do this just so I would have an excuse to write Harry/Hermione moments. At least not primarily. For one, I think Arithmancy is really underused in a lot of stories, at least in my experience. I was able to read up a bit on Arithmancy. I found out that it was used by Curse Breakers to help in their profession, and I thought that was really cool and useful. As for Ancient Runes, you'll just have to stay tuned to find out. But again, please do not worry. Harry may seem like he's about to turn into Merlin, but that is not what I'm trying to achieve here**

**Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed that one. See you next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Sorry if this update isn't as quick as I wanted; I've had some personal matters to settle. Thank you so much for the positive feedback! Please continue to support me in my writing, as it really encourages me to post updates faster. I do not wish to impose, but reviews are very much welcome and appreciated *wink wink. I hope you guys enjoy this next one!**

**Review Responses:**

**ranchod das chanchad: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! I'm glad you found Harry switching classes to be a nice move! I was personally nervous of how you readers might find that touch to the story, but I'm happy you found it nice! As for Ron, you will just have to stay tuned and find out hehe **** And regarding the dark arts scene, I have to admit, I may have been too technical with that part, but I hope the identity I'm trying to give my OCs (original characters) is slowly becoming clearer, especially with this current chapter. You're very welcome! And thank you so much again for reading! I can honestly say I look forward to your comments every time I post a chapter :) **

**decadenceofmysoul: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! Thank you for the kind words! I hope you enjoy this next chapter**

**Jarno: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! And thank you for the kind words as well! As I mentioned in one of my review responses, I personally don't plan to make Harry overpowered (for now), and this next chapter may explain or give you clues on why I have decided on so. I heavily agree though, with Dumbledore and Voldemort being overpowered; in fact they're so overpowered they made the entire point of Aurors useless in the series (in my opinion). Your last sentence is very interesting; in fact, that is precisely the reason why I chose to write this fic based on year 4 and not year 5 and beyond. For that exact reason. I don't want to give away too much at this point, so I'm afraid I'll have to stop here. I hope you stay tuned for the rest of the story though**

**ValnizS: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! And thank you as well for the kind words! I hope you enjoy this next chapter then! And don't worry, I won't go into detail **_**too much**_** hehe. I apologize if the previous chapter was super technical, but I just wanted to clarify some details before proceeding as to not confuse you readers in the future.**

* * *

Harry suppressed a shudder. The way his best friend was _still _glaring at him made him wish he didn't return to the common room so soon, even if it was already late. After his shower, he threw on his night clothes plus a robe (to be a little less informal) and headed downstairs for his 'scheduled talk'. As soon as Hermione saw him, her glare was immediately plastered back onto her face. And when he sat across her on their table, her glare hardened even further to a point where Harry was certain not even Voldemort could hope to match it.

Which was why he was absolutely flabbergasted when the brunette's expression relaxed as she closed her eyes and took a calming breath. She opened her eyes a few seconds later, traces of the animosity her gaze possessed just moments ago completely absent.

"Harry," she began gently "I've been worried about you. Especially lately. Is there anything you'd like to talk to me about?" her tone contained a mixture of both the warm, genuine concern of a best friend, and the desire of a passionate learner to broaden her knowledge. It was so unlike the young woman who seemingly wanted to murder him with her eyes just a little while ago.

Harry smiled. He suddenly remembered that this was Hermione Granger after all. She was the only person he knew that had the ability to sound caring and demanding at the same time. Sure, he sometimes found her bossy nature annoying, but he could see that she was trying to not to push him too much to the point of discomfort.

However, the boy's smile vanished as he pondered his best friend's question. He chose not to talk to Hermione about what's been happening with him the last few days, but that didn't mean he wouldn't if she asked him to. And now that she did, he unfortunately didn't know where to start.

Hermione seemed to read his thoughts "Would it be better if I asked questions instead, then?" she asked slowly.

Harry shot her a small smile and nodded "Okay"

The brunette returned his smile briefly before she narrowed her eyes in thought "What kind of _errands_ does Professor Moody ask you to do every afternoon?"

Harry gulped. He glanced around the common room and found that there was still quite a number of people around. Deciding not to risk being overheard, he stood from his seat, causing Hermione to raise her eyebrows in worry. He went around the table and took the seat beside the brunette instead.

He then sighed before turning to her "I lied. I've never done any errands for Professor Moody" he admitted lowly, his voice just above a whisper.

Hermione did as he did and glanced around the room before turning his attention back to him "I figured as much. So, _what_ exactly have you been doing these past few days?" she asked, her volume matching his.

Harry felt comfortable enough to answer his best friend's question honestly…to an extent "Remember when you told me to write to Sirius? About the dream and what we saw at the World Cup?" Hermione nodded "He wrote back to me just a few days before the First Task. He told that we should talk face to face, so we did"

Hermione's eyes widened "You did? Where? How?"

"In this very room, actually" he gestured towards the common room fireplace "I don't know how he was able to do it, but he used the fireplace as a sort of…tool? The pieces of coal and firewood were arranged to take the form of his face, and he was able to talk to me in that way, as if he were literally just a few feet in front of me"

His words greatly fascinated the brunette "That sounds brilliant! I'm not too knowledgeable on the various methods of communication involving magic, unfortunately, but I'd say that's quite nifty! I wonder if that could be done using different mediums, or even simultaneously under similar circumstances and variables. I'm sure I can find more on that in the library…" Hermione paused for a moment as what seemed like recognition flashed over her features "Now that I think about it, maybe it works similarly to floo powder? But instead of completely transporting a person, it merely allows a partial corporeal presence for a limited amount of time. Interesting…"

Harry shook his head in amusement. His best friend had a tendency to rant whenever a topic that piques her interest comes up. He didn't usually mind (although it _does_ get…off-putting sometimes mainly because it's not the time and place for it), but he figured he should refocus on the task at hand before they stray any further away "It does. Anyways, he and I had a talk about the tournament in general. He advised me to be more cautious…given everything that's been happening lately. He also asked for more details regarding the dream I had"

The brunette frowned in concern "You still haven't told me anything significant about your dream"

Harry resisted the urge to avoid his best friend's gaze "I told you, I don't remember everything enough to clearly make sense of anything"

Hermione eyed him carefully as she spoke her next words "You-Know-Who is up to something, isn't he?"

Harry's eyes widened alarmingly. This time he couldn't refrain from turning away from the brunette. Just exactly how much did she know? He knew she was aware that his dream had something to do with Voldemort one way or another—she saw him clutching at his scar while she was trying to wake him last summer. But he never actually told her anything explicitly. Moments of silence passed before Harry replied wearily "What makes you think so?"

"I'm not. I just took a guess. So, I take it I'm right?"

Harry sighed and hung his head. There was no use hiding _that_ at this point "Yes"

Hermione reached out and rested a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder "It's okay, Harry. You don't need to talk about it if you don't want to. I'm just worried about you" In all honesty though she much preferred if he _did_ talk about it.

The boy gulped "It's just as I said. I can't make sense of anything enough for me to understand" Unknown to her, a small part of him actually wanted to come clean and just tell her how _detailed_ his dreams have been of late given that she was on the verge of discovering so on her own, but his gut told him that it simply wasn't the right time yet.

The brunette beside him grew even more worried. While she was sorely tempted to _demand_ answers from him, she didn't want him to close off either. It was painfully obvious that the boy was uncomfortable with the current topic of conversation. She knew him well enough to know that prying any further at the moment will most likely cause him to resist even more. No, he would have to tell her what she wanted to know on his own volition. Hermione couldn't help the silent, exasperated sigh that escaped her lips.

"I understand, Harry. What did Sirius say about the tournament?" the brunette asked, shifting the topic before her urge to nag him got the better of her.

Harry exhaled in barely-concealed relief, which did not escape his best friend's notice "He just told me to be careful and wished me luck. He had no idea who put my name in the Goblet either, and said that Dumbledore really had no choice but to let me compete. Champions are unfortunately magically bound to participate in all three tasks, and I'm no exception" Harry answered with a hint of sadness in his voice.

His best friend's frown deepened "Did Dumbledore really not say anything more than that? He didn't even tell you about any of his possible suspicions on who might've slipped your name in the Goblet?" the brunette had already asked something along the same lines a few days after Harry was named a Tri-Wizard Champion, but she felt like she had to make sure.

Harry shook his head "No, he didn't. It's just as I said before—he just told me I had to carry on. He hasn't spoken to me about the matter since. He's probably just as lost on this as we are"

Hermione bit her lip. She didn't like how seemingly hopeless her best friend sounded at all "I'm sure he's getting to the bottom of it, Harry. He probably didn't tell you anything else because he didn't want to burden you any more than he already has by making you compete in the tournament"

Harry nodded weakly with a sad smile "You're probably right. Anyways, that was pretty much all Sirius and I talked about at the time. He wrote to me again last week about how we should talk again, so we did just that this past weekend. He asked about how the First Task went and its aftermath. He also had some…suggestions on how to help me for the rest of the tournament"

"Help you? How?" Hermione asked with raised eyebrows.

"My 'errands for Professor Moody'" Harry answered, punctuating his words with his hands.

The brunette's eyes narrowed suspiciously "What does Professor Moody have to do with Sirius?"

Harry smiled at her tone "I'm not too sure either, to be honest" his smile widened when she glared menacingly at him "Sirius asked me to head to the bridge just outside the castle after my afternoon classes last Monday. He told me that I was to meet with some people who wanted to help me, and that I could trust them completely. To my surprise, they turned out to be Professor Lupin and a woman by the name of Tonks—a close friend of his. They've been training me every afternoon since then. I'm with Remus every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. He's currently teaching me the shielding charm. I also have Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturday mornings with Tonks for physical conditioning. That explains why I walked in covered in sweat earlier. And no, they don't train me in the school grounds. We use one of Tonks' training rooms in her family's manor for our sessions"

Silence reigned. The boy intently awaited the brunette's reaction to everything he just said. He watched as her expression morphed into the same one she usually wears whenever she studies for an important exam, as she was no doubt attempting to dissect and digest every tidbit of information he divulged just moments ago. She was staring so hard at the table in front of them in thought that he was surprised the table didn't just magically turn into stone.

A few minutes later, she finally looked up to meet his gaze, an unreadable expression marring her features.

"Does Dumbledore know about this?" she asked curtly.

Harry shook his head "To my knowledge, no. I haven't told him anything, and I doubt Sirius, Remus, or Tonks has. We've all sort of agreed to keep my training a secret for the time being. I wouldn't be surprised if he already knows though"

The brunette hummed "I suppose that explains why I don't see you in the afternoons often anymore. That's good, Harry. It's nice to know you're being very productive with your time" she suddenly glared at him. Hard. "But that doesn't explain why you've been missing meals at nighttime. And don't tell me you're having dinner in the Kitchens. Dobby told me that you haven't eaten dinner so far this week. Not even once. Don't you know that you can get sick if you don't eat after long periods of physical exertion?" she reprimanded sternly.

Harry scratched the back of his neck sheepishly "Well, it's not like I mean to. I'm just so tired that I go straight to bed after showering. Besides, I make up for it during breakfast the next day anyways"

Hermione scoffed "That doesn't mean you won't get sick if you keep that up! Are you seriously _trying_ to make me worry so much?"

The boy grimaced "No, of course not. Like I said, I've just been really tired. And sometimes I don't even _have_ an appetite. It's not always worth the trouble to go downstairs to eat. Especially when your limbs are aching"

The sheer stupidity of her best friend's statement made her grit her teeth "Oh, eating is not worth the trouble you say? So, I suppose you getting ill is?" she drawled sarcastically.

He winced and resisted the urge to palm his face "That's not what I mean, you know that"

She crossed her arms defiantly, her glare still in full force "You are going to eat dinner every night, Potter. End of discussion"

Harry sighed. There was no point in arguing any further when Hermione went into 'Professor Mode'. He raised his hands in surrender "Okay, okay. I will from now on. I'm sorry"

Hermione's expression suddenly softened before she exhaled deeply "Seriously, Harry. I'm just looking out for you. I'm quite certain that Professor Lupin's teaching you more advanced spells now, so you'll need all the energy you can spare. Your magical core is drained more rapidly when you cast higher-level spells, which I'm sure you're aware of. Plus, you have physical condition as well. And don't forget—you're training every day of the week except Sundays, so your body is more than likely to break down at this rate. So please, be more careful"

Harry smiled in gratitude "I will. And thank you, for you know, always having my back"

Hermione returned his smile with her own "I do have another question though"

"Yes?" Harry urged her to continue.

"Why did you start taking Arithmancy and Ancient Runes when your schedule is already packed?" the brunette asked with a concerned look on her face.

"That one's actually Remus' idea. He said taking those two subjects alongside my training would help me improve even more. He mentioned how Arithmancy could be used to predict how successful a spell cast would be, and how Ancient Runes may help me understand how to use certain spells better" Harry answered.

Hermione stared at him blankly "And you consented to taking both subjects just like that?"

Harry nodded "Of course. I'll take all the help I can get to survive this tournament"

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek upon hearing his response. There was one more question that she was so desperately trying to keep from spilling out of her lips. If Harry's reaction to her inquiries earlier regarding his dream indicated anything, it was that he wouldn't answer her sufficiently should she decide to give in to her urge to ask him.

Why was he 'training' so much?

Surely it couldn't just be the tournament he was worried about? Right there and then, Hermione realized that what Harry was hiding from her was much bigger than she initially imagined. Getting lessons outside school? Taking two new classes? Having weird, 'vague' dreams? It was all too obvious for her to not notice. Whatever he was hiding was enough to make him take on a workload that even she herself would find challenging. Just what exactly was happening to her best friend?

In the end, she decided to put it off for now. She'd ask him again…very soon.

Instead, she asked him about something that was hopefully a little bit more trivial than her original question. "I…I see. You're correct. That's why I started taking both classes last year as they have a lot of practical uses. What about Potions for you, though? I noticed you've been studying a lot more on it this week. And don't say it's because you're trying to make up for the time you spend training. You haven't read up on any other class after all"

A wistful smile spread across Harry's lips "That's…" he began as a faraway look settled upon his visage "…a little personal"

Hermione stared at him curiously. He seemed happy…and sad…at the same time? Nevertheless, the brunette decided that she was contented with his answer. If it was personal to him, then she wouldn't bother him any further about it…for the time being.

She nodded before pulling something out of her pocket. Harry noticed this and turned to see what his best friend was trying to get. A moment later, Hermione's hands reemerged from her pockets clasping what appeared to be…_something_ wrapped in napkins.

Hermione sat the object down on his side of the table and unwrapped the folded napkins. Upon seeing what the napkins concealed, Harry felt his hunger make its presence known in his stomach. In front of him were several sandwiches and two pieces of treacle tart laid out for him to enjoy.

"You said you'd eat dinner every night. You can start tonight"

Harry met her gaze and shot her a warm, genuine smile "Thanks. I owe you one"

She shook her head at him "Just don't get sick and we're even" Harry simply chuckled and reached for a sandwich.

"Oy, Harry" they both turned to see a certain red-headed boy approach their table "up for a game of Wizard's Chess?"

"Sure mate, after I finish my meal" he replied with a small smile.

Ron nodded and sat down across him "It's the first time I've seen you eat dinner this week. Where have you been anyway?"

Harry and Hermione locked eyes again. He smiled sheepishly as she glared almost imperceptibly in return.

Ron furrowed his brows at the sight "You two okay?"

"Yes" they both replied in unison.

Ron simply shook his head "Completely mental, the both of you" he muttered to himself.

* * *

"Good to see you, gentlemen" the young blond man greeted "Today's meeting is officially in-session. Let's start with you, Matkovic. I've heard you have some rather interesting findings to present"

Matkovic nodded "Certainly. I've come to a few conclusions upon inspecting the wand fragment Lux and Nagant were able to recover from their previous mission. From what I've found…"

The Russian proceeded to recount his observations and suspicions to his fellows the same way he did with Lux. By the end of his explanations, the blond seated at the head of table had a contemplative look on his face.

"Excellent work, Matkovic. It appears there is so much more to that particular Death Eater than we originally thought. Lux, Nagant, splendid work you two" the mentioned men nodded in acknowledgement. The blond then turned to the man sitting across Matkovic "How about you, Desmond? How are things on your end?"

"I am still attempting to accelerate the aging process of the spheres. I already have four that are ready for use. Give me a few more months and I'll have at least one for everyone"

The blond nodded "Nicely done. The rest of you, report in"

Everyone took his turn to talk, either reporting on developments on his current assignments, or giving updates on key areas of interest. Finally, it was the blond's turn to speak.

"All seems to be in order, gentlemen. But the reason we are all gathered here today is not just for a simple debriefing session" he declared, everyone else's attention solely on him "A few days ago, I was approached by Sirius Black—he wished to speak to me in person, as he reported to have valuable information regarding Voldemort's current whereabouts" he paused and gauged the reactions of those around him. As he expected, everyone remained stoic and attentive "Mister Black believes that Voldemort's plans have been set in motion, and that this may be proven by the events that have transpired in Britain since the World Cup incident last summer"

The blond took a deep breath and continued "As you may already be aware, there is an iteration of the Tri-Wizard Tournament that is currently taking place in Britain. And, as fate would have it, the host school this year happens to be Hogwarts. However, as the papers have reported, there are **four** contestants in this year's tournament. One of those contestants, happens to be fourteen-year-old Harry Potter. According to Mister Black, Mister Potter has been on the receiving end of the oddest occurrences since school started last September. Mister Black mentioned that he has been in contact with Potter, and that the boy was _not_ the one who entered his name into the tournament. In other words, he is being forced to compete against his will due to the magically binding nature of the Tri-Wizard Contract. The First Task concluded almost two weeks ago, and Potter is still fortunately alive. It may also interest you all to know that Potter was present at the night of the Death Eater attack during the Quidditch World Cup last summer. He confided to Mister Black that he also personally saw an 'unknown figure' summon the Dark Mark just meters away from him. The both of them are convinced that there is something at work against the boy—that something being Voldemort and his followers. I wish to hear your thoughts on this. I personally believe we should at least consider Mister Black's words. What about you gents?"

"If I may," Lux began, earning a nod from the blond "did Black tell you why he went to _you_? If I remember correctly, isn't Albus Dumbledore the headmaster of Hogwarts?"

"He did. And yes, you are correct, Lux. The reason is simple: Mister Black shares my initial supposition—that Dumbledore is already aware of these events, but has chosen a more passive approach to the matter. Mister Black believes Dumbledore is simply awaiting more events to unfold before making his move" the blond smirked wryly "The man has not changed a bit after all these years"

"What of the British Ministry? What have they done in the face of these unusual events?" Marcus asked.

"Unfortunately, they are completely idle. Fudge is more than content to dismiss the presence of the Dark Mark as mere propaganda, a ploy to rattle Wizarding Britain into senseless panic. He has repeatedly 'assured' the public that the Ministry is 'in control of the situation', and that nothing significant is to be made of the incident"

Lux chuckled "Why am I not surprised? I knew you Limeys were bad news the moment I met you"

The blond smirked in amusement "It's a good thing we're on the same side then" his expression turned slightly more serious "Given Matkovic's assessment from Lux and Nagant's findings, I daresay we've found ourselves in a rather interesting position"

"I am certain that none of us doubt Black's words" started Matkovic, eliciting a nod from everyone present "I assume you already have a plan then?"

The blond nodded and turned to Desmond "Desmond, what do you know about prophecies?"

The teal-head knit clicked his tongue before answering "Not a whole lot, I'm afraid. Prophecies vary in nature, so I'm not sure if what I know applies to your question in particular. What do you wish to know about?"

"Accessibility"

"Well, prophecies in general tend to concern specific people. Typically, only those directly involved in a prophecy may activate and access its contents. However, knowing how frighteningly proficient _some_ of us are at disarmaments and charms, I'm sure that will be easy to bypass assuming we have a way to…_procure_ a blood sample of one of the prophecy's subjects"

A brief silence followed. It was broken by Marcus who was staring at the blond intently "Why do you ask?"

The blond simply smiled "I think it's time I pay my old school a visit"

* * *

"You say the boy is growing wary?" a snake-like voice hissed.

The man nodded respectfully "Yes, my lord"

"How so?"

He wet his lips and gulped "He has begun following a training regimen of sorts with Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks. Every afternoon after his classes, he meets with either of the two and they Apparate to an unknown location. The boy does not return to school grounds until past dinnertime, and when he does, he is always either physically exhausted, or his magical core is drained"

A moment of silence passed. His lord, as inhumane as he looked, was clearly displeased. What was left of his face was twisted in what seemed to be a scowl.

Hoping to be of even more use to him, the man added "Shall I pursue them, my lord?"

His lord hissed in disagreement "No. Let the boy remain ignorant of our suspicions. Even if the twat 'trains' to his heart's content, he will be nowhere near as powerful as even you by the time our plans come to fruition" he answered with a low, dark chuckle "What of his behavior within school grounds?"

"The boy has begun taking different classes, my lord. Yesterday, he formally started taking Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. There is nothing else notable aside from that"

His lord hummed "I see. And what of Dumbledore?"

"Just as you said, my Lord—the old coot is content to simply sit back and let matters develop further. He has not done anything significant that will hinder us from accomplishing our goals, nor does he plan to"

His lord cackled "What an arrogant fool. He dares underestimate me, and he shall pay dearly for it"

The man allowed an evil grin to spread across his lips at his lord's words. Albus Dumbledore will indeed pay for his foolishness…very soon.

A few minutes of silence passed. The man kept his gaze trained on his lord's…_appearance_. His thoughtful expression made it clear that he had something in mind, but for some reason he held back from speaking of it.

Hoping he would not be punished, the man decided to lightly probe his lord's thoughts "What do you wish to be done next, my lord?"

His lord grinned maliciously (though it looked more like a faint grimace) "I believe it is time to offer Lucius an opportunity to redeem himself"

* * *

"Any idea what we're here for, mate?" Harry heard Seamus ask Ron, who was sitting beside him on his right.

"Dunno" Ron replied with a shrug "I just hope it's not additional _class work_"

"Aye"

Harry looked around the room. Sure enough, it was certainly not a place that was conducive to…well…_learning_. The room was spacious enough for around thirty or so people. There was a large, full-body length mirror on the corner of the room beside the doorway, and the only source of light inside the room was the rays of sunlight seeping through the windows. Two opposite rows of chairs covered the width of almost the entire room—the girls sat on one row, and the boys sat on the other, so that they were all facing each other. Well, they would have been if there wasn't a large contraption that, oddly enough, appeared to be an old gramophone perched on the very center of the room. Filch was currently tinkering with the device while muttering to himself.

'_What do we need a gramophone for'? _Harry thought inwardly. Gramophones were used to play music. And if there was music in the Wizarding world, then that probably meant…

Professor McGonagall chose that exact moment to enter the room. Everyone's attention (save for Filch) snapped to her as she walked to a stop in front of the gramophone.

She cleared her throat and began "Good day, everyone. I am sure you are all wondering why we are gathered here today" a chorus of nods and affirmative hums followed "The purpose of this session is to discuss another event that our beloved school will host—the Yule Ball" Minerva paused for a moment before continuing "The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the Tri-Wizard Tournament since its inception. On Christmas Eve night, we and our guests will gather in the Great Hall for well-mannered frivolity. As representatives of the host school I expect each and every one of you to put your best feet forward, and I mean this literally because the Yule Ball is first and foremost…a dance"

Groans came from the boys' side while squeals and excited whispers erupted from the girls' side. Harry himself did not notice this as he was too…well…_taken aback_ with this latest development. As Minerva silenced her students and went on one of her infamous lectures (something about her not wanting to see her Gryffindors act like baboons), Harry had one resounding thought in his mind.

A dance.

A. Dance.

A. Fucking. Dance.

The boy wanted to burst out laughing right there and then. There was an event, between all three schools, and there was dancing involved?

At that moment Harry Potter knew exactly what he was _not_ going to do on Christmas Eve.

He began to think of possible excuses he may use to skip the event. He figured he could ask both Remus and Tonks to _train_ him just past the brink of physical illness. And if that didn't work, he could always 'unsuccessfully repel' one of Remus' spells during one of their sessions. Normally the boy wouldn't go to such lengths to evade a social event, but this one was a _dance_. It's bad enough that he has a dozen left feet, but it's even worse that he has to subject some unfortunate potential partner of his to several dead toenails and sore feet.

Nope, there was no way in _hell_ he was going to attend this ball. And that's that.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he did not notice Professor McGonagall approach his side of the room. When he finally did notice, the older woman was a few feet away from where he sat. He suddenly felt anxiety brew in the pit of his stomach, but relaxed when his Head of House stopped and turned to the redhead beside him. She held her hand out and beckoned Ron to join her.

This caused Harry to save his scheming for later as he fully turned his attention to rather odd couple who made their way to where his Transfiguration professor stood just moments earlier. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his lips when Ron was asked to put one of his hands around the woman's waist. The boy was unfortunately unable to fully see the redhead's expression, as he could only see the side of his face, but Harry could _feel_ just how uncomfortable he was. He didn't exactly blame the youngest male Weasley—he would probably be a million times more awkward himself.

Harry was not able to suppress a snort when he heard someone whistle suggestively as soon as Ron's hand came in contact with the professor's waist. He turned to the source of the noise and had to bite his lip to restrain himself from laughing upon seeing the Weasley twins looking teasingly at their younger brother. Seconds later, Filch adjusted the gramophone's turntable, then some seemingly old waltz song started playing. The odd couple began swaying to the music as Harry's seatmates (particularly Dean and Seamus) started bawling in laughter amongst themselves. The raven-haired boy took another glance at the Weasley twins—big mistake. His hand shot up to cover his mouth as his body trembled in barely-contained laughter; the twins were 'dancing' like complete idiots, moving about side-to-side in an exaggerated manner with stupid grins on their faces.

The boy didn't care if McGonagall took house points off him, or even gave him detention—it admittedly felt good to laugh. Merlin knows when the last time he'd ever laughed genuinely was. Apparently, the site of the Weasley twins acting like dunderheads was more than enough to put an end to his sad streak.

When his professor urged everyone to participate and start dancing, the girls eagerly got on their feet and made their way to the dancefloor while the boys seemingly sank on their seats. Harry decided to play it safe and quietly slipped out of his chair to stand near where the twins were. While the twins didn't harass Harry after he was named Tri-Wizard Champion, they didn't explicitly support him either, so he was in rather neutral ground with them at the moment.

"Aw, what's the matter, Harry? Dancing not your cup of tea?" Forge asked teasingly once the boy was within earshot.

Harry shook his head with an amused smile "Definitely not, mate"

"We beg you to reconsider, oh great one" Gred chimed in "After all, Ronnikins is out there having the time of his life!" he finished as all three of them went into near hysteria.

As the hour progressed, it was apparent that only Neville and a handful of other boys had any intentions of practicing their waltz. When the dreadful period was mercifully over, the boys couldn't get the hell out of the room fast enough.

As Harry bade farewell to the twins and grabbed his shoulder bag, he heard his professor call out his name.

"Mister Potter, a word, please" Professor McGonagall said.

For a brief moment Harry thought about what his professor might possibly want from him. Before he could come up with anything solid, or worse, over think, he simply shrugged and made his way to her.

"Yes, Professor?" he asked as he gripped his bag's strap to keep it from sliding off his shoulder.

"I would like to inform you that since you are Tri-Wizard Champion, you will be part of the opening ceremony of the Yule Ball. This is because tradition dictates that the three, in this case four, champions are the first to dance" Minerva explained.

Harry knit his brows in confusion "Pardon, Professor, but I don't quite understand"

His professor smiled mischievously, causing him to gulp "It means that your event attendance is mandatory, Mister Potter. Absolutely _no_ exceptions" she sternly emphasized her last sentence.

At that moment, Harry felt a small part of him die.

Well shite.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed that one! So, we are almost at the Yule Ball—I am personally very excited to write the coming chapters hehe. Please continue to support me by reviewing/faving/following this story. Again, reviews are appreciated but not required, although honestly more reviews would encourage me to update faster. So please indulge me *wink See you guys next time!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hello everyone! It's been quite a while since my last update. I apologize for that; I've been getting increasingly busier with life as of late. Thank you for your patience though! Also, another reason as to why this chapter took so long to write is because I actually ended up deleting an entire scene from my first draft. There was supposed to be another scene (around 2k words long) between Remus and Harry in this chapter, but in the end, I decided to **_**not**_** use that scene yet, as the story hasn't progressed enough for such a scene.**

**Review Responses:**

**TheTrickster96: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! And thank you so much for the kind words, I really appreciate it! I wasn't particularly sure on how people would find my characterization and story development in this story, but I'm really happy that you're liking things so far! I hope you enjoy this next chapter, and that you stay tuned for the rest of the story hehe.**

**brebre99: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! Thank you for the kind words as well! I hope you enjoy this next chapter then!**

**ValnizS: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! And I'm glad that you loved that aspect of it, as that was exactly what I was trying to portray in the previous chapter! As for if Harry would have the guts to ask Hermione, I'm happy to say that this chapter will answer that question for you! Sadly though, with Lucius and Voldemort, you'll have to wait for next chapter for that, as I felt like this chapter was already sufficient with scenes already, so please stay tuned hehe. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Lord Anubis Judge of the dead: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! And thank you for the kind words! I hope you enjoy this next chapter hehe.**

**KittyWolfM: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! And I'm glad you loved that, because that was something I was really trying to emphasize last chapter hehe. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

**ranchod das chanchad: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! I'm happy to hear that you're finished with your exams—I hope you did well in all of them! Thank you so much for the kind words hehe. With Hermione, I did consider making her ask Harry to join him in training, but in the end, I decided against it for one main reason. That said reason is that there is simply no need for Hermione to train at this point. Do note that this fic is set in year 4, so Voldemort hasn't really returned to 'full power' yet, and there's no war going on. Plus, Hermione in this story is convinced that Harry is simply training to prepare himself for the tournament. In that case, knowing how canon-Hermione is, I doubt she'd ask to train alongside Harry as there's really no point for her to do so right now. Remus and Tonks can teach Harry more than Hermione can, so I think Hermione will let things be because of that. The Voldemort bit will continue next chapter; I decided to skip that for this chapter as it's already long enough. And I definitely agree with the Ron/McGonagall scene; I remember bursting out laughing the first time I watched that scene as a kid! As for if Harry will ask Hermione to be his date, I'm happy to say you'll find out the answer to that this chapter, so I hope you enjoy hehe. Thank you so much again for your continued support!**

**GinsengH: Thank you for taking the time to read and review! I'd like to start my response by expressing my deepest thanks! I rarely ever get feedback as detailed as yours, so I was pleasantly surprised upon checking my reviews and seeing yours! Thank you so much for your input, as they really gave me some things to think about! I'll respond to your review in parts, as it's pretty long hehe.**

**You finding Harry (the character) in this fic "one of the most believable" honestly makes me feel genuinely happy. That's actually been my main goal for this story. I mean no disrespect to other authors, but a lot of HP fics that feature Harry like to make him overpowered as fuck. On top of that, it's exactly just as you said—they use settings like what happened in year 4 to bash other characters, make Harry emo, et cetera, which I understand some people enjoy reading, but honestly just doesn't make a whole lot of sense in my opinion. One of the things I've always admired about Harry Potter the character is that he is forgiving. Sure, he has several negative qualities (ill-tempered at times, not really studious with his studies, etc.), but Harry has often been very forgiving. Now again, as I've been stressing in this story so far, there's a difference between forgiving and forgetting. And I absolutely dislike the 'Harry goes emo' trope as well, because a lot of authors seem to forget the fact that no matter what happens in life, people move on—which is exactly the kind of person I think Harry is. I've thought about canon Harry's character arc a lot—he grew up with a presumably abusive family, he had to fight for his life pretty much every school year, and his schoolmates were quick to turn on him whenever a negative rumor about him floats about. In spite of all that, Harry returned every year to Hogwarts and just did his thing. Sure, perhaps that's because Harry did not know how to emotionally process things, or maybe because he copes in an unhealthy manner by just sweeping everything under the rug, but in the end, Harry moves forward with his life, willingly or unwillingly. In the movies, Harry was still painted to be a teenage boy even after tragedies. For example, after losing Sirius at the end of year 5, Harry in movie 6 still ends up doing normal teenage things like falling in love with Ginny and such. Those little details make me believe that Harry moves on, but never forgets. As for character bashing, I just think it's a lazy kind of writing. Especially when people bash Ron in particular. I believe Ron's character was absurdly misrepresented in the movies, so people tend to think of him as a dumb redhead. I may not have read all the books, but I know enough to say that Ron isn't as much of an asshole as most HarryHermione shippers think. I will expound on that later on in this story hehe.**

**I'm glad you like how I've been handling how Harry 'throws himself to his studies'! I personally don't plan on making Harry a top-notch student like Hermione, but I do plan to make him at least a little bit more competent academically. This chapter should shed some more light on that. Also, as I said in one of my previous review responses to another reader, I do not plan to make Harry overpowered at all. I think people get carried away and think that Harry needs to be the most powerful wizard alive in order to defeat his enemies. I actually disagree with that. In times of war, the side with more firepower is not guaranteed to win—wars aren't that simple. And more importantly, I think a lot of people overlook that Harry did not beat Voldemort in book 7 from pure skill. The way I understand it, Harry was able to beat Voldemort because the Elder Wand refused to kill its master (Harry), and not because Harry outskilled him.**

**About him not admitting everything to Hermione, I actually borrowed that aspect from the Goblet of Fire movie. In the movie it was implied that Harry could remember what his nightmare from the summer was about (or at least the gist of it), but even then he never bothered to go to Dumbledore or tell any of his friends about it in detail. Knowing that from 'canon-Harry', I figured Harry in this story would do the same and keep Hermione in the dark…at least for now.**

**Thank you so much for that! I have to admit, I wasn't actually sure on how I was handling Dumbledore, as in if I was being to OOC with him or whatnot. Just a little bit of an explanation as to why I wrote Sirius as someone who pointed out the particular flaw of Dumbledore you mentioned. At this point, Sirius understands that even Dumbledore's power is limited. When he was in Azakaban, Dumbledore could not do anything concrete to help him escape. And as I've hinted in this story, it's not actually Dumbledore who helped Sirius escape Azbakan in this universe. I will shed more details on that as the story progresses. But bottomline is, as powerful as Dumbledore is, Sirius recognizes that he has his limitations. While I do understand your point, I honestly am thinking about him being the "greatest wizard alive". I just wonder how much of that is fact, and how much of that is embellishment from his accolade of defeating Grindelwald in his younger years. Dumbledore is a phenomenal wizard, but even in canon, it was shown that Dumbledore could still be eluded, even fooled. And when one can be fooled, then he can be killed. But I will be more mindful of how I write him as the story progresses. Thank you for the pointer!**

**Onto your critiques now! Yes, I am aware that the twins are named Fred and George. I called them Gred and Forge because the twins (in canon) like to fool people into trying to guess who is who. This is apparent in the first movie (Philosopher's Stone) in the scene where Harry goes to Platform 9 ¾ for the first time. Fred and George banter with Molly by making her guess which one is Fred and which one is George. I called them Gred and Forge in this story to reflect that mischievous tendency of theirs.**

**Yes, I am also aware that there are Anti-Apparition wards in Hogwarts. However, there were occasions in multiple movies where people have been able to Apparate in and out of a certain location inside the school. The first is in the Half-Blood Prince movie (movie 6), where Harry apparated Dumbledore back to the Astronomy Tower. The second is in the movie Crimes of Grindelwald (sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), where several Aurors/Ministry employees were able to freely Apparate to the bridge just outside of Hogwarts. That's actually the reason why I specifically chose the bridge as the location where Remus and Tonks Apparate with Harry. Now, you may argue that perhaps the Anti-Apparition wards were only erected when Dumbledore became headmaster. In that case, that explains why I chose Remus and Tonks to be the ones to meet with Harry specifically. The way I understand it is that as long as Dumbledore allows someone (by either some spell or maybe exempting them from the Anti-Apparition wards), they may Apparate into/outside of Hogwarts, but only in certain locations. I would say Dumbledore will allow Remus and Tonks that privilege because they are members of the Order of the Phoenix, and that maybe in cases of emergency, some of Dumbledore's people need to see him immediately and hence they are allowed to Apparate to Hogwarts. As for how far they Apparated Harry, do you mean the location of where Harry trains? In that case, I'm still debating if I'll actually reveal that actual location at the moment. Lastly, I do understand that perhaps Dumbledore should've spoken to Remus and Tonks about Harry's training, but again, as I've hinted in one of the previous chapters (where Harry started taking Arithmancy and Runes), Dumbledore has an idea as to what Harry is doing, and trusts Remus and Tonks (because again they are members of the Order) with him.**

**Thank you so much again for your feedback! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

"Harry are you okay?" asked Remus with a concerned look on his face "You don't look too good"

Harry nodded absently "I'm fine"

His action only increased his instructor's worries "You can talk to me about things, Harry. You did really well today, but even I could tell that your head is elsewhere"

"I'm fine" the boy repeated "I really am"

But of course, he was anything _but_ fine. How could he be when he was informed just hours ago that he had to find a…_date_ to bring to the Yule Ball. Harry resisted the urge to groan out loud. Why does all the _fun_ stuff happen to him?

Remus could see the emotional turmoil on the boy's face no matter how hard he tried to 'play things cool'. The older man put two and two together, and quickly realized what was possibly on his student's mind. He was a Tri-Wizard Champion, so that meant…

A mischievous smile began to spread across his lips as he asked "Does it have something to do with the, um…what was it called? Oh right, the _Yule Ball_?"

Harry gaped at him in horror "Wh-what?! H-how did you know that?!"

Remus chewed on his lip to hold in his laughter. Harry's eyes were so wide that he looked like a human-sized house elf "Have you forgotten that I attended the same school as you when I was your age?"

Harry whimpered in anguish as he buried his face in his hands "Right"

Remus chuckled "What's gotten you so worked up over a _dance_?"

The boy glared at him "I don't know, maybe the fact that I'm _required_ to attend the bloody thing?"

Remus quirked an eyebrow "So? It's just a _dance_, Harry"

Harry combed his hair backwards in frustration "'_Just a dance'?_" he quoted with gritted teeth "Easy for you to say since you're not the one who's obligated to find some girl to dance with for some stupid ball"

The older man blinked and opened his mouth to retort before quickly snapping it shut again. He was about to make an off-handed comment about how finding a date for him would be a piece of cake given his…_status_. But then he remembered how much the boy despised unnecessary attention. He decided to try a more Harry-Potter-friendly approach "It's not the end of the world, Harry. After all, it was the Yule Ball that convinced your father that your mother was the one for him"

Harry's thoughts of misery screeched to a stop. All the teenage angst that was threatening to consume him was immediately replaced with unbridled curiosity at the mention of his parents "Huh? Really?"

Remus allowed himself a wistful smile as he began to reminisce of his school days "Yes. In our years at Hogwarts, a Tri-Wizard Tournament took place during our fifth year. And just like this year, Hogwarts was also the host school at the time" he chuckled "I remember it like it was yesterday; the day after the ball, James spoke of how beautiful Lily was and how he was certain they'd eventually end up together. Since then, James became a lot more…aggressive in his pursuit of Lily. He had always found her pretty in our earlier years, but it wasn't until after the Yule Ball that he seriously started getting his act together so that she'd notice him. Don't get me wrong, your dad was still a Marauder, but he started becoming a little more mature after that"

Harry raised an eyebrow "You make it sound like Dad was quite the piece of work"

Remus laughed dryly "You have no idea"

Harry's eyes narrowed. The older man replied in such a way where he genuinely couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not. A part of him wanted to pry further, but the mention of his mother won his curiosity over "I assume Mum wasn't too happy about that then?"

The older man shot him a genuine smile "That's a rather gargantuan understatement. Lily was absolutely furious at first, but she eventually warmed up towards your dad. They became an official couple halfway thru our sixth year, and the rest is history"

The boy smiled wistfully "They made quite the pair, eh?"

"They did" Remus nodded, his smile turning into a sad one. He shook his head moments later, remembering the point of his anecdote "But you see Harry, the Yule Ball isn't the end of the world. Who knows, it might turn out to be a pleasantly memorable night for you"

Harry rolled his eyes "Oh of course. I'm sure I'm going to just magically realize who I'll end up with at the night of the Ball" he replied, his words dripping with sarcasm.

His instructor sighed "That's not what I mean. I'm just saying—it's not something you should be so distressed about"

"That's easy for you to say" Harry returned bitterly.

"Have you even thought about who to ask?" Remus asked, deciding to direct the conversation forward. He knew that if he remained being passive then Harry would never break out of his teenage angst streak.

Harry shook his head in exasperation "No. I wasn't even _planning_ to go, much less _ask_ anyone"

Remus hummed before a thought struck him "How about Hermione? I'm sure she wouldn't mind going with you"

Harry blinked, his thoughts screeching to a halt. He did agree that Hermione, being the amazing friend that she was, would most likely agree to be his date. But then, surely someone as nice as her would already have a date by now, right? So, what was the point of even thinking about asking her?

"Maybe, but I'm pretty sure someone's already asked her by now" Harry answered dismissively.

His instructor raised an eyebrow at him "What makes you think so?"

Harry looked at him as if he had grown a second head "Who _wouldn't _ask her? Hermione's a really nice person" even the boy himself was slightly taken aback at how much he meant those words. Hermione was one of, if not the nicest person he knew. Sure, she had streaks where it was downright annoying to be around her, but when it mattered, she almost always reliable.

"Be that as it may, you'd be surprised how stupid people, especially boys, can be at your age, Harry" the older man answered with a shake of his head.

The boy knit his brows "What's that supposed to mean?"

Remus simply waved a hand dismissively "You'll understand soon enough. Anyhow, there's no harm in trying, isn't there?"

Harry frowned but relented "I suppose. I'll see if I can talk to her about it tonight"

"Excellent" Remus commented with a smile "By the way, how's your decision about taking the two classes I recommended coming along?"

Harry smirked "I've actually already made my decision. I started taking both classes two days ago" his smirk then turned almost sinister "And thanks to that, I got a T in my first ever Runes pop quiz earlier"

Remus returned the boy's smirk with an amused one of his own "That's great to hear! As for the latter part, eh, it happens to everyone" he finished with a noncommittal shrug.

The raven-haired teen's smirk vanished in an instant and was replaced with a glare that would've made Snape proud "What in Merlin's name ever made you think that Runes would suit someone like me?"

The older man remained unperturbed "I already told you last time: it doesn't hurt to know a thing or two about it. Besides, it's only been one pop quiz. You have plenty of time to regain your ground"

Harry exhaled in exasperation "That's exactly my point! It's only been _one_ pop quiz, and I'm already beginning to reevaluate my decision. Runes wasn't _that _bad when Hermione helped me study in advance for our next class, but as soon as Professor Babbling started her lecture, it felt like I was taking a completely different class than the one I prepared for!"

His instructor nodded his head "I understand, Harry. But like I said, it's better if you go through that than get caught in a situation where you'd need to know something about Runes and know squat"

Harry ran a hand through his hair. As frustrated as he was, Remus had a point. After all, he was only trying to help him "I guess"

"What about Arithmancy? How are you fairing in that one?" the older man asked a hopefully more positive question.

He was relieved when Harry nodded his head and actually smiled "I like Arithmancy. It's only been one session, and I do have a lot to catch up on, but the gist of things seems to be right up my alley. I've always found numbers interesting"

Remus smiled softly in return "That's brilliant, Harry. Just keep it up. You'll be able to catch up in no time"

Harry honestly doubted that, but was appreciative of the older man's encouragement nonetheless "Yeah, I hope so"

* * *

"Hey, Hermione," Harry began as he finished cleaning up the last of his dinner (which his best friend brought up for him yet again) "got a minute?"

"Hm?" Hermione, who sat across him, hummed in acknowledgement without looking up from the book she was reading "Why?"

"Oh, umm…" the boy stammered, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. He honestly had no idea on how to go about…this. Should he just ask straight-up or what? "Err…I just wanted to…uhh…ask you something"

His stuttering caused the brunette to look up at him in worry "What is it, Harry? Is everything alright?" she asked, brows furrowed.

"Oh, um, yeah, I'm fine" Harry reassured, but his best friend was clearly not convinced. He began to think of ways on how to proceed. He wasn't necessarily nervous. He was just...clueless. But a fleeting moment later, he realized that he was talking to Hermione—his best friend. Knowing her, it was best to just simply go straight to the point.

And so, he did.

"I just wanted to ask if you already have a date for the Yule Ball?"

The brunette's eyes widened slightly "Oh. No, not really" she tilted her head slightly to the side and continued "Why do you ask?"

"Well I was wondering if you'd like to be my date?" Harry pressed on.

He didn't really know what sort of reaction to expect out of her, but he was glad when she didn't seem to be blatantly fazed by his inquiry. A neutral expression was plastered on her face as she just stared at him, nearly unblinking.

A few seconds of silence passed. He began to grow increasingly anxious as his best friend remained impassive. Did he say something he wasn't supposed to? Or did he ask his question in an inappropriate manner?

"Hermione? Are you alright?" he asked, hoping to recapture her attention.

The sound of his voice seemed to snap her out of her thoughts. She shook her head quickly and shot him an apologetic smile "Yes, I am. Sorry, I just wasn't expecting you to ask me something like that" her smile then widened, and just from how he could see her pearly-white teeth, he knew that it was as genuine a smile that he was ever going to see from anyone "I'd love to be your date, Harry"

Her smile and answer made him grin back at her "Brilliant!" he couldn't help but exclaim. She laughed at his response, and the sound made him laugh along with her.

That was…surprisingly not that difficult.

Huh, it seemed Remus was right.

As their laughter died down, Harry added "I honestly wasn't sure how to ask you, you know? I figured I'd just be as direct as I could be"

His words earned him another warm smile from the brunette "I wouldn't have it any other way. You know how I prefer to be straightforward with most things"

Harry jokingly shot her an incredulous look "Really? I could've sworn Professor McGonagall was complaining last week about how your last essay's length was more than triple the word count she specified"

Hermione childishly stuck her tongue out at him "It's not my fault that I actually _care_ about my academics"

The boy just shook his head at her, a smile still on his lips "Now, now, Miss Granger, no need to show off"

His best friend rolled her eyes at him in mock annoyance "By the way, before I forget…" she trailed as she reached for her knapsack. Seconds later her hand emerged, clutching a roll of parchment. She sat the roll down in front of him and continued "These are 'cram sheets' I made for Ancient Runes. It contains most of the words Professor Babbling often asks about during exams and pop quizzes. I just thought you'd need them seeing as you didn't do so well in our earlier quiz"

Harry paused for a moment, altering his gaze between his best friend and the roll of parchment. With a disbelieving sigh, he began to reach for the notes with one thought going through his mind.

His best friend was brilliant.

"Thanks, Hermione" he thanked warmly, a small smile on his lips.

Hermione returned his smile with a wider one "You're welcome, Harry"

* * *

The blond smiled wistfully at the sight of Hogwarts. It felt like a lifetime ago when he was just a student, traversing the castle hallways in awe. Yes, even he, once upon a time, was just a boy—a boy who tried to fit in, tried to find his purpose in life. Things were much simpler back then. His biggest worry was turning in an assignment or studying for an upcoming exam.

He'd always known that after the day he left school, his life would change. But now, sitting just outside his former school's grounds, and knowing everything that's lead him to this present moment, made it clear that the changes he had gone through were unlike anything the younger version of him would ever even imagine. But then, what choice did he have? He _had _to become who he was now.

Maybe in another life, things would've stayed simpler.

But not in this one.

He sighed and cleared his head. Now wasn't really the time to indulge in such pointless thoughts. He'd have plenty of time to do so later on after all.

From the conversations he heard between the boy and his female companion earlier, it seemed that the former was scheduled to return at "around lunchtime". With a stroke of uncannily convenient luck, he caught sight of the pair heading towards the bridge outside school grounds mere minutes after he had arrived. As soon as they were within hearing range, he casted a disillusionment charm on himself and began to trail them (which was a lot more difficult than it sounded, as there weren't a lot of things to 'blend with' in that area). He picked up enough to conclude that his female companion was actually an instructor of his, and that her main purpose was to physically condition him. The pair Apparated away shortly after, and he was left to await their return.

While he was not particularly impressed with the raven-haired teen's efforts to improve himself, he did approve of him _trying _at the very least. Competing in the Tri-Wizard Tournament is no joke, but especially in his case as he is allegedly being 'forced' to compete as an _underaged_ contestant.

It was good that the boy did not cower in fear and was instead doing whatever he could to give himself a legitimate chance of not getting killed in the tournament. Besides, given who the other contestants were, he was certain no one was really truly 'playing fair'.

One thing that did catch the blond's interest was the teen's instructor—Nymphadora Tonks. He supposed it was good that the boy was receiving training from an Auror who also happened to be one of Mad-eye Moody's protégés. As incompetent as Aurors were by his standards, he did concede that it was a decent setting. However, he also wondered if the Ministry was already trying to corrupt the teen into being their poster boy. That would…complicate things for them. By how much remains to be seen; he needed to see the 'prophecy' concerning the boy first.

The prospect of the prophecy caused his thoughts to wander back to his previous conversation with one Sirius Black. If what the framed animagus said was true, then the boy was walking in blind into something he would not be able to handle on his own. On the one hand, the information Black provided him was vague overall. He didn't really have anything concrete for him; the closest thing to a 'proof' the man was able to present was the empty bottle of highly refined Polyjuice Potion. The blond conceded that a potion of such quality lying around in the boys' bathroom was indeed suspicious. And considering everything else that has happened over the last few months centered around Harry Potter, he could definitely see why the former prisoner had been so alarmed.

On the other hand, Sirius Black was really the only reliable source of information they had on what was happening inside Hogwarts at the moment. His words of caution may seem to be a product of mere coincidences, but it wasn't like they could (or _should_) trust anyone else. One of their blind spots had always been his former school. It was a direct consequence of their decision to steer clear of Dumbledore and his intentions for 'the Greater Good'.

Plus, it wasn't like the old man didn't have a 'covert' organization of his own.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the distinct sound of Apparition. He turned and was pleased to see the exact two people he'd been waiting for. The blond held his position, carefully eyeing the movements of the two as they approached.

"Good work today, Harry" Tonks said with a grin as she punched the boy 'lightly' on the shoulder.

The boy grimaced "Thanks. I'm still not used to so much exercise I'm afraid"

The woman chuckled good-naturedly "That's alright. It's only your first week of training, so that's to be expected. Besides, if I remember correctly, it was _you_ who specifically asked me to 'not take it easy' on you" she finished smugly.

The teen rolled his eyes "Whatever"

His instructor simply shook her head "Anyways, I've got to go now. Keep up the good work! And don't forget to get some rest when you have time" she bade with a small wave before turning to walk away.

"Yeah, see ya" the boy returned with a wave of his own, watching as the metamorphagus Apparated away. When she was gone, he sighed to himself and began his trek back to the common room.

It was then when the blond made his move. With a quick flick of his wand, he casted a Disillusionment Charm on the unknowing boy. Almost immediately after, he fired a Stunner that hit his target right on the back. As the boy collapsed, he took a long stride to catch his unconscious form before it hit the ground.

The first thing of interest he noticed about the boy was the scar on his forehead. He'd heard the rumors of course, but he had never actually seen it himself. The scar was shaped like a lightning bolt, and upon closer inspection, he was able to note that it was devoid of any dark presence.

For now, at least.

With his free hand, he reached over and grabbed one of the boy's hands. He held out the said hand and cut a wound open on its palm area with his wand. As soon as blood starting flowing out of the wound, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial. He uncorked the vial and positioned it right below the wound to gather the boy's blood. Once he deemed the amount enough, he closed the vial and pocketed it. He then gestured with his wand, casting a spell to heal and close the wound he had created.

Seconds later, with the boy's wound completely healed, he gently laid the unconscious body on the ground. A moment later, stood and took a few steps away from the boy. When he was far enough, he casted a weak Obliviate spell onto the teen—he erased only the memory of him being stunned, so that he would not even know that he had lost consciousness.

Giving the boy a long glance, he casted one last spell to undo his Stunner. As the Rennervate spell began to work, he Apparated away to his next destination.

* * *

Harry took a relaxing breath. It was Saturday afternoon and he had some free time. He had already showered, eaten lunch, and taken a nap. He wasn't really in the mood for anything sedentary at the moment, so he tried to think of ways on how to kill time. One thing led to another and the boy eventually decided to go down to his Potions classroom.

Talk about a twist.

Harry Potter, the boy who usually didn't give two knuts about his academic standing, was spending time on a _weekend _in the _Potions classroom_.

Months ago, he would've never imagined himself doing anything academic on a Saturday. Even if there was homework due or an upcoming exam the following Monday, he always tried to keep his Saturdays _academically_ vacant He would usually start doing schoolwork on Sunday afternoons, when he absolutely had no choice but to actually work for fear of missing a deadline (and Hermione being upset with him).

But then again, months ago, he didn't know that his mother's favorite class was apparently Potions.

The notion itself was enough to motivate the boy to at least try to do better in the said class. He was nowhere near the top of his year—as a matter of fact, he was quite average. Based on the grades he's been getting so far this term, he estimated that his current standing in Potions was a little over an A. He would typically be contented with that grade already, but knowing what he now knew about his mother made him want to do better.

They had a practical exam coming up, which also happened to be their last requirement for the term. If he can do well in it, he was sure he'd be able to raise his average closer to an E. Snape had a knack for making final term requirements more difficult than usual as it made up a considerable chunk of their overall grade. He once reasoned that it was to give failing students a 'chance to catch up', but a part of Harry thought that it was simply another one of his sadistic methods of teaching.

The coverage for their next exam wasn't short, but it wasn't too long either. After hearing Remus' comment about his mother excelling in Potions, he immediately began studying for the exam the following day. He had already read all of his notes and asked Hermione for some of hers in topics he found more challenging, so he figured reviewing in a more 'practical' manner would be the next logical step to take. Snape's end-of-term exams usually contained two parts—a theoretical part which contained purely essay questions, and a practical part which required students to brew a batch of potions within a given time limit. The exams usually lasted for three hours (one hour for the theoretical part and two hours for the practical part), and the questions/tasks become increasingly difficult.

In class, they had managed to cover several potions in great detail up to the present moment. Harry himself struggled notably with two in particular—the Calming Draught and the Pepperup Potion. The Pepperup Potion was a quite challenging to make, but still manageable…to an extent. The Calming Draught however, was an absolute pain in the arse. The last time they were asked to brew Calming Draught during a class activity, Harry ended up receiving the lowest marks in class as he quite royally fucked up. He _may_ have put a tad too much peppermint, or perhaps the crocodile heart he used was not prepared properly…heh. And since he struggled mightily with brewing that particular potion, he just _knew_ Snape was going to include it in the end-of-term exam.

Because that's exactly the kind of fucktard he was.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He'd have time to lollygag later. For now, he needed to focus.

The boy went ahead and picked a working station that faced the doorway. Since he was in the Dungeons, there was no telling which (or how many) sneaky Slytherin/s was going to try and one up him while he was trying to study. He then went ahead to grab the ingredients he'd need for all the potions he planned to try brewing, making sure to grab excess ingredients for the two potions he mostly struggled with.

After setting up, he immediately got to work. He started with three particular antidotes; he was able to brew the first two without much trouble, but he took a bit of time with the third as he added the ingredients in the wrong order in his first attempt. Eventually though, he was to get over the hump.

And then came the time for the dreaded two. He started with the Pepperup Potion as it was the one he had _some _sort of success with brewing in the past. He hoped he'd be able to at least replicate the results from his previous encounter with the said potion, which, while not excellent, was _borderline acceptable_.

Unfortunately, it was not meant to be.

Somehow, even with performing the exact same steps he did last time, he was unable to brew a Pepperup that would merit an A by Snape's standards. Heck, it might not even merit a T to be quite honest…

He was so distraught over potion-brewing failure that he failed notice someone was watching him from the doorway.

"Potter" a familiar voice sneered.

Harry looked up from his cauldron and suppressed a grimace. It was Snape. And he did not look pleased. At all.

To be fair though, he never did when he was looking at him.

"Professor" Harry greeted back, schooling his features to appear neutral.

Snape glared at him and entered the classroom to approach him. The greasy-haired professor stopped right in front of his working area and shot him a condescending look.

"What do you think you're doing here, Potter?" Snape all but hissed.

"Studying for the upcoming end-of-term exam, Professor" Harry replied seemingly innocently.

Snape glanced at his cauldron. When he looked back up at Harry, his glare became so fierce it seemed like he was a heartbeat away from actually murdering the boy.

"Do you take me for a fool, Potter?" the older man spat out "You call _this_ studying? Fifty points from Gryffindor for attempted vandalism and destruction of school property! And another twenty-five points for blatantly lying to a professor's face!" Snape declared, voice oozing with hate and disgust "Being a Tri-Wizard Champion does not give you the license to act as if you own this school. You're just as arrogant and foolish as your _father_ was"

The Potions professor's words about his father made him clench his fists in rage. What did this bigoted old _bastard _know about his father? James Potter was a great man; he sacrificed his life for his wife and his child, something Severus Snape not be able to say for himself.

To his misfortune, Snape caught his reaction and smirked evilly at him "Make that _another_ twenty-five points from Gryffindor for threatening a professor" Moments later, the Potions master's smirk was replaced by a nasty scowl "Now clean up your station and leave this classroom at once! Unless of course you wish to be punished further…" he trailed maliciously.

Harry's white knuckles twitched for his wand. He so wanted to wipe that disgusted look clean off the fucker's face. But then again, what chance did he stand against a man who was more than double his age? Plus, he was in _Slytherin territory_ at the moment, without a doubt the most dangerous place for him in the entire castle.

The boy gritted his teeth imperceptibly. He was actually being a good student for once and studying ahead of time, and what does he get?

Reprimanded and accused of doing a clusterfuck of bullshittery, apparently.

* * *

**A/N: So, first of all, I'd like to apologize if the scene where Harry asks Hermione to be his date was a little underwhelming. But as I mentioned from chapter one, this **_**is**_** a slowburn fic where romance is concerned. Plus, I really don't think that Harry's just going to suddenly be all romantic and realize how attractive Hermione is when he asks her to the ball. Again, the Harry in this story is already dealing with a lot at the moment, so thinking of romantic attraction isn't really there yet for him. I've thought a lot about this particular scene, and this is really what I think would've happened if Harry really did ask Hermione to the dance in canon. I don't think it would be fancy or emotional or anything like that. It'll just be an awkward, emotionally damaged teenage boy asking his closest friend to accompany him to a social event that he is being required to participate in. At least, that's how it'll be at first. The romance will start at the actual dance, but for now, please bear with me. I also think that in canon, Harry is already very comfortable with Hermione at this point to just ask normally.**

**Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed that one. I'll see you next time!**


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